4 of the Most Anticipated Books This Fall, According to Bookshop.org

Bookshop.org, an organization that has raised more than $32 million for independent bookstores since its start in 2020, has released a brief list of books a couple of their literary experts are itching to read this fall.

Director of Bookstore Partnerships Steph Optiz and Bookstore Partnerships Coordinator Justin Walls contributed to the list, and chose books that have “puzzle-like plot lines,” historical speculative elements, are republished editions of translated works, and more.

4 of the Most Anticipated Books This Fall, According to Bookshop.org

Steph Optiz, Director of Bookstore Partnerships Recommendations:

1. Darkly by Marisha Pessl

What Steph had to say:

“I’m a Pessl completist. Her novels dazzle with their puzzle-like plot lines. I snagged an early copy of Darkly and tore through it. The novel begins with an enigmatic game maker—whose games (and persona) have reached a cult status—launching a posthumous internship program. And that’s just the beginning. I don’t think it’s worth pointing out that this book is YA because it will appeal to all readers.”

2. Season of the Swamp by Yuri Herrera, translated by Lisa Dillman

What Steph had to say:

“I first encountered Herrera through his slim but enveloping novel Signs Preceding the End of the World; a book I read about 10 years ago and still vividly remember. I can’t wait to read his latest, Season of the Swamp, a historical speculative fiction, about a Mexican exile’s trajectory to president of Mexico set in 1853 where said swamp is New Orleans.”

Justin Walls, Bookstore Partnerships Coordinator

3. The Thinking-About-Gladys-Machine by Mario Levrero, translated byAnnie McDermott and Kit Schluter

What Justin had to say:

“The Thinking-About-Gladys-Machine, originally published in 1970 and arriving here in a translation by Annie McDermott and Kit Schluter, showcases the absurdist short fictions of Mario Levrero, each one offering an ingeniously inverted view of the status quo. Filled with daring narrative switchbacks and outré details, these stories are sure to delight readers of Sabrina Orah Mark, Antonio Moresco, or Barbara Molinard.”

4. Kree: A Post-Exotic Novel by Manuela Draeger translated by Lia Swope Mitchell

What Justin had to say:

 “Manuela Draeger’s latest post-exotic foray, translated by Lia Swope Mitchell, pits its titular survivalist against a surreal totalitarian society following the tragic loss of a pet. The setup and its execution are beyond compelling, but the multifaceted Kree digs much deeper, tunneling into the dark matter of violence, bodily autonomy, and the afterlife.”

You can also visit Bookshop.org 9/15-10/15 for 15% off Latine-authored books during Latine Heritage Month, with code LHM24.

Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.