Welcome to my October ‘Upcoming Releases’ post. It’s already October! It’s nearly Chr*****s. Where does the time go? For me it’s mainly reading books I guess :D. October is a funny month for books as most of the releases are centred around the 3rd and the 17th of this month. October is more of a warm up month as we head into the holidays but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any hugely exciting reads upcoming soon. Adam Kay’s second book is coming out and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. It’s called the Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas and if you weren’t already aware then you are welcome! It is a quite short list this month but I hope you enjoy it and please let me know if you are excited about any of these reads too!
Book Releases I Am Looking Forward To Reading – October 2019
Published by: Faber & Faber
Released: 03/10/19
Synopsis: In 1975, a gangly black 16-year-old from Dudley, decked out in floppy bow tie and Frank Spencer beret, appeared on our TV screens for the first time. So began the transformation from apprentice factory worker to future national treasure of Sir Lenny Henry.
In his long-awaited autobiography, Lenny tells the extraordinary story of his early years and sudden rise to fame. Born soon after his Jamaican parents had arrived in the Midlands, Lenny was raised as one of seven siblings in a boisterous, hilarious, complicated working household, and sent out into the world with his mum’s mantra of ‘H’integration! H’integration! H’integration!’ echoing in his ears. A natural ability to make people laugh came in handy. At school it helped subdue the daily racist bullying. In the park, it led to lifelong friendships and occasional snogs. Soon, it would put him on stage at working men’s clubs and Black Country discotheques. And then an invitation to audition for ITVs New Faces would change his life for ever.
But those first years of show business, in a 1970s Britain of questionable variety shows, endless seaside summer seasons, casual chauvinism and blatant racism, were a bewildering experience for a lone black teenager. At every stage, he wondered: ‘Am I good enough? Is this what they want? Who am I, again?’
Riotous, warm-hearted and revealing, and told with Lenny’s trademark energy — expect recipes, comic strips, and tips for aspiring comedians — Who Am I, Again? is the heart-breakingly honest and inspirational coming-of-age story of a man who holds a very special place in British hearts.
My Thoughts: Lenny Henry is one of my British comedic heroes! I love reading the memoirs of comedians as they offer an unusual and satisfying perspective on the world and how it has changed. Lenny Henry has beaten all the odds to become a legend in many people eyes and I am eager to learn more about him.
Published by: Harvill Secker
Released: 03/10/19
Synopsis: A shocking collection of dark stories, ranging from chilling contemporary fairytales to disturbing supernatural fiction, by a talented writer who has been compared to Angela Carter.
So here we go, into the dark.
Some things can’t be spoken about in the light of day. But we can visit our fears at night, in the dark. We can turn them over and weigh them in our hands and maybe that will protect us from them. But maybe not.
The characters in this collection find their aspirations for happy homes, happy families and happy memories dissected and imbued with shimmering menace. Alone in a remote house in Iceland a woman is unnerved by her isolation; another can only find respite from the clinging ghost that follows her by submerging herself in an overgrown pool. Couples wrestle with a lack of connection to their children; a schoolgirl becomes obsessed with the female anatomical models in a museum; and a cheery account of child’s day out is undercut by chilling footnotes.
These dark tales explore women’s fears with electrifying honesty and invention and speak to one another about female bodies, domestic claustrophobia, desire and violence. From a talented writer who has been compared to Angela Carter, Things We Say in the Dark is a powerful contemporary collection of feminist stories, ranging from vicious fairy tales to disturbing horror and tender ghost stories.
My Thoughts: Dark and shocking short stories are my absolute favourite! I find reading really disturbing and unsettling stories makes you appreciate the simplicity of everyday life. Can’t wait to lose my head in Things We Say In The Dark very soon.
Published by: Penguin
Released: 03/10/19
Synopsis: The Lady of the Lake is the true hero in this cinematic twist on the tale of King Arthur created by Thomas Wheeler and legendary artist, producer, and director Frank Miller (300, Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Sin City). Featuring 8 full color and 30 black-and-white pieces of original artwork by Frank Miller.
Whosoever wields the Sword of Power shall be the one true King.
But what if the Sword has chosen a Queen?
An original Netflix series starring Thirteen Reasons Why star Katherine Langford set for release in Spring 2020.
Touched by darkness, Nimue is an outcast to her people, forced to repress her magic. But when her village is slaughtered, the darkness begins to resurface.
Tasked by her dying mother to reunite the Sword of Power with the sorcerer Merlin, she must save a terrorised Kingdom. Nimue’s mission leaves no room for revenge, but the growing power within her can think of little else. Hers was not the only decimated village and others face a similar fate.
With the help of the rogue mercenary Arthur and wielding the sword meant for the one true king, Nimue must battle the armies of a corrupt regime and, be it in victory or at the edge of a blade, discover the truth about her destiny once and for all.
My Thoughts: A Frank Miller graphic novel about a retelling of the classic Arthurian legend but centred around the Lady Of The Lake? Yes please. Cursed is the epitome of cool and I am ready to get involved.
Published by: Doubleday
Released: 03/10/19
Synopsis: ‘We spend our whole lives in one body and yet most of us have practically no idea how it works and what goes on inside it. The idea of the book is simply to try to understand the extraordinary contraption that is us.’
Bill Bryson sets off to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological make up.
A wonderful successor to A Short History of Nearly Everything, this new book is an instant classic. It will have you marvelling at the form you occupy, and celebrating the genius of your existence, time and time again.
My Thoughts: The Body just seems like a fun way to learn more about how we all function. I hope I acquire some new knowledge to bore everyone with and get a few laughs along the way.
Published by: HarperVoyager
Released: 03/10/19
Synopsis: Dark, thrilling, and hilarious, The Black Hawks is an epic adventure perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch.
Life as a knight is not what Vedren Chel imagined. Bound by oath to a dead-end job in the service of a lazy step-uncle, Chel no longer dreams of glory – he dreams of going home.
When invaders throw the kingdom into turmoil, Chel finds opportunity in the chaos: if he escorts a stranded prince to safety, Chel will be released from his oath.
All he has to do is drag the brat from one side of the country to the other, through war and wilderness, chased all the way by ruthless assassins.
With killers on your trail, you need killers watching your back. You need the Black Hawk Company – mercenaries, fighters without equal, a squabbling, scrapping pack of rogues.
Prepare to join the Black Hawks.
My Thoughts: Yet another awesome sounding fantasy series I need to invest myself in! The Black Hawks seems to be inspired by some great fantasy writers/novels so I am interested to see how it has turned out. I plan to join The Blacks Hawks very soon.
Published by: Avon
Released: 03/10/19
Synopsis: Lexie’s got the perfect life. And someone else wants it…
Lexie loves her home. She feels safe and secure in it – and loved, thanks to her boyfriend Tom.
But recently, something’s not been quite right. A book out of place. A wardrobe door left open. A set of keys going missing…
Tom thinks Lexie’s going mad – but then, he’s away more often than he’s at home nowadays, so he wouldn’t understand.
Because Lexie isn’t losing it. She knows there’s someone out there watching her. And, deep down, she knows there’s nothing she can do to make them stop…
A compelling, heart-racing thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder long after you turn the last page. The perfect read for fans of Louise Candlish and Adele Parks.
My Thoughts: Through The Wall seems like a really interesting thriller concept and I really hope it is as creepy and unsettling as it sounds!
Published by: Gollancz (Orion)
Released: 08/10/19
Synopsis: The mesmerising adult debut from Leigh Bardugo. A tale of power, privilege, dark magic and murder set among the Ivy League elite.
Alex Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. A dropout and the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved crime – the last thing she wants is to cause trouble. Not when Yale was supposed to be her fresh start. But a free ride to one of the world’s most prestigious universities was bound to come with a catch.
Alex has been tasked with monitoring the mysterious activities of Yale’s secret societies – societies that have yielded some of the most famous and influential people in the world. Now there’s a dead girl on campus and Alex seems to be the only person who won’t accept the neat answer the police and campus administration have come up with for her murder.
Because Alex knows the secret societies are far more sinister and extraordinary than anyone ever imagined.
They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living . . .
My Thoughts: The Ninth House has a narrative concept that I don’t think I have ever come across before and that makes it a must read for me. I am always trying to test my reading tastes and an ivy league thriller/horror with necromancy seems to fit that requirement!
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton
Released: 15/10/19
Synopsis: He was framed for murder.
Now he needs a miracle.
22 years ago Quincy Miller was sentenced to life without parole. He was accused of killing Keith Russo, a lawyer in a small Florida town. But there were no reliable witnesses and little motive. Just the fact that Russo had botched Quincy’s divorce case, that Quincy was black in a largely all-white town and that a blood-splattered torch was found in the boot of Quincy’s car. A torch he swore was planted. A torch that was conveniently destroyed in a fire just before his trial.
The lack of evidence made no difference to judge or jury. In the eyes of the law Quincy was guilty and, no matter how often he protested his innocence, his punishment was life in prison.
Finally, after 22 years, comes Quincy’s one and only chance of freedom. An innocence lawyer and minister, Cullen Post, takes on his case. Post has exonerated eight men in the last ten years. He intends to make Quincy the next.
But there were powerful and ruthless people behind Russo’s murder. They prefer that an innocent man dies in jail rather than one of them. There’s one way to guarantee that. They killed one lawyer 22 years ago, and they’ll kill another without a second thought.
My Thoughts: I am a die-hard Grisham fan. I own all of his books. I will own this too.
Published by: W&N (Orion)
Released: 17/10/19
Synopsis: Everybody loves a good mystery and sometimes the questions can be more interesting than the answers. Will Pearson investigates twenty unique mysteries with their broad spectrum of strangeness. Some, like the sudden disappearance of the sailing ship Mary Celeste‘s passengers and crew have gained universal currency. Was the Wow! Signal a radio transmission form deep space, or was it the ambient resonating frequency of a passing comet? Cryptids like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster teeter on the boundaries of probable and improbable, hoax and reality, fact and fiction.
Whether it be the intrigue of lost civilisations, like Göblekli Tepe in Turkey, sensationalist interest in The Zodiac Killer, or the elusive Shugborough Code that neither Dickens nor Darwin could crack, each unsolved mystery presents a challenge in its own way.
Occasionally, it can feel as if there’s a conspiracy at work – one in which scientists, journalists and ‘professional explainers’ want to put an end to anything and everything mysterious in life. Thankfully, not everything can be nailed down, sucked dry of its secrets and turned into a factoid.
Mysteries do still exist – and continue to tease us.
My Thoughts: I am a bit of a trivia/conspiracy/folklore/legend hoarder and any book that fuels that fire is a great book in my eyes. I am ready to once again explore the plain between fact and fiction.
Published by: Picador
Released: 17/10/19
Synopsis: A surgical-stocking-filler from the author of record-breaking million copy bestseller This Is Going To Hurt
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat . . . but 1.4 million NHS staff are heading off to work. In this perfect present for anyone who has ever set foot in a hospital, Adam Kay delves back into his diaries for a hilarious, horrifying and sometimes heartbreaking peek behind the blue curtain at Christmastime.
Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas is a love letter to all those who spend their festive season on the front line, removing babies and baubles from the various places they get stuck, at the most wonderful time of the year.
My Thoughts: This book is the biggest and most welcome surprise for me in 2019. I came across its existence by accident and lost it a little. This Is Going To Hurt is my all time favourite Non-Fiction read for this blog and I am sure Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas will come close second. Adam Kay has done phenomenal work in healthcare and bridging the gap between patient and doctor. If you haven’t read TIGTH then go and get a copy now.
Published by: Corgi
Released: 17/10/19
Synopsis: · A mysterious epidemic of dental explosions…
· A teenage boy who got his wick stuck in a candlestick…
· A remarkable woman who, like a human fountain, spurted urine from virtually every orifice…
These are just a few of the anecdotal gems that have until now lain undiscovered in medical journals for centuries. This fascinating collection of historical curiosities explores some of the strangest cases that have perplexed doctors across the world.
From seventeenth-century Holland to Tsarist Russia, from rural Canada to a whaler in the Pacific, many are monuments to human stupidity – such as the sailor who swallowed dozens of penknives to amuse his shipmates, or the chemistry student who in 1850 arrived at a hospital in New York with his penis trapped inside a bottle, having unwisely decided to relieve himself into a vessel containing highly reactive potassium. Others demonstrate exceptional surgical ingenuity long before the advent of anaesthesia – such as a daring nineteenth-century operation to remove a metal fragment from beneath a conscious patient’s heart. We also hear of the weird, often hilarious remedies employed by physicians of yore – from crow’s vomit to port-wine enemas – the hazards of such everyday objects as cucumbers and false teeth, and miraculous recovery from apparently terminal injuries.
Blending fascinating history with lacerating wit, The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth will take you on a tour of some of the funniest, strangest and most wince-inducing corners of medical history.
My Thoughts: Hilarious medical anecdotes also kind of tie in to my obsession with knowing things so I had to include this quirky book. I am hoping to laugh a lit and learn how far humanity has pushed the human body or at least common sense.
Published by: Titan Books
Released: 22/10/19
Synopsis: It is 1890, and in the days before Christmas Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson are visited at Baker Street by a new client. Eve Allerthorpe – eldest daughter of a grand but somewhat eccentric Yorkshire-based dynasty – is greatly distressed, as she believes she is being haunted by a demonic Christmas spirit.
Her late mother told her terrifying tales of the sinister Black Thurrick, and Eve is sure that she has seen the creature from her bedroom window. What is more, she has begun to receive mysterious parcels of birch twigs, the Black Thurrick’s calling card…
Eve stands to inherit a fortune if she is sound in mind, but it seems that something – or someone – is threatening her sanity. Holmes and Watson travel to the Allerthorpe family seat at Fellscar Keep to investigate, but soon discover that there is more to the case than at first appeared. There is another spirit haunting the family, and when a member of the household is found dead, the companions realise that no one is beyond suspicion.
My Thoughts: I am feeling rather Christmassy this year and when I saw this I immediately wanted to read it. I am an avid Sherlock reader and James Lovegrove is the one of the best writers I know to pen a Sherlock vs Demonic Christmas Spirit novel.
Published by: Orbit (Little, Brown)
Released: 22/10/19
Synopsis: Kate Collins has been ghosted.
She was supposed to be moving in with her new boyfriend Scott, but all she finds after relocating to Brighton is an empty flat. Scott has vanished. His possessions have all disappeared.
Except for his mobile phone.
Kate knows she shouldn’t hack into Scott’s phone. She shouldn’t look at his Tinder, his texts, his social media. But she can’t quite help herself.
That’s when the trouble starts. Strange, whispering phone calls from numbers she doesn’t recognise. Scratch marks on the door that she can’t explain.
And the growing feeling that she’s being watched . . .
Jason Arnopp – author of The Last Days of Jack Sparks, a Radio 2 Bookclub pick – returns with a razor-sharp thriller for a social-media obsessed world. Prepare to never look at your phone the same way again . . .
My Thoughts: I thought Ghoster felt like a relevant thriller in 2019 and I have only good things about Jason Arnopp. Our social media and phone obsessions do tend to get out of hand (is that a pun?) from time to time. So a few reality checks and plenty of tension should give us some food for thought.
Thank you as always for coming by to support this post. October 2019 is a slow month for books but what is arriving looks to be interesting and/or a lot of fun. There are some seemingly excellent novels on this list and I hope you have enjoyed the post and picked out a few books each for your own TBRs. November is going to be a huge month for everyone (publishers, reviewers, bloggers etc) and my list is probably going to be about 40+ long so get ready for that. Let me know if you are excited about these releases and if you are lucky enough to be reading any of them right now!
Always Trust In Books 
You always find such great nonfiction picks! All of them sound good.
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So excited to get my hands on Grisham’s latest, I’m a massive fan too!
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Fab post Stuart! I love the look of so many of these especially the Lenny Henry one. I also loved This Is Going To Hurt and hope this new book won’t be a rehash of some of those stories, but a whole load of new ones. Ghoster looks good as does the Sherlock Holmes although I must admit I’m a bit fussy about new new stories as I love the original Conan Doyle stories.
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Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas is amazing, it is a completely new collection of stories, including a career defining moment he ommitted from TIGTH because of its nature. The Christmas Demon is (so far) one the best dedications to Conan Doyle’s work. James Lovegrove’s passion for the original works is hard to beat.
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I’m going to check both of those out then!
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You have some really good books on this list. Thanks for the post.
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I am SO excited for the new Bill Bryson!! I love his writing, his wit, and I’m sure The Body is going to be fantastic. Always learn so much from him, whatever the subject!!
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