The New Books Roundup for October 4: Harry Potter and the Notorious RBG

This week’s list of new books includes a new installment of a legendary fantasy series, wizards, zombies, and the Notorious RBG.

New books appear every week. We suspect that at this point, many of us (yours truly included) should probably stop looking at the newest releases. But can anything compare to cracking open a new book on the very first day it comes out, when you know that plenty of others will likely do the same? (Please substitute “opening the new download” if you prefer electronic reading.)

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We’ve sifted through all of this week’s newest releases and pared it down to just four. Title links take you to Amazon, and Goodreads links take you to Goodreads, as expected. That all being said, let’s get started!

Goldenhand

Welcome back to Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series. This book serves as the fifth installment and takes place after Abhorsen. Lirael returns to her old home, the Clayr’s Glacier, and there she receives a message from her mother about the Witch with No Face. Basically, this series stands as a legend in the YA fantasy division, and it appears that Nix hasn’t slowed down yet. Goodreads  focuses on the return to Lirael and the stellar world-building. HarperCollins; hardcover, 368 pages; list price: $19.99.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Edition

You probably already know this story from J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his second year, uncovers a plot and the legendary Chamber of Secrets, and generally does wizardry and whatnot. This edition, following last year’s Sorcerer’s Stone re-release, adds magnificent color artwork from Jim Kay. We wouldn’t dare suggest you replace your copies of the series with these, but we are suggesting you at least look at this. Of course, the Goodreads reviews are full of praise. Arthur A. Levine Books; hardcover, 272 pages; list price: $39.99.

Cropped cover of Mira Grant’s Feedback. Image via publisher Orbit.

Feedback

First, if you haven’t read Mira Grant’s Newsflesh series, you are missing out on an excellent zombie series. However, as the description for Feedback suggests, you can read this without having read the previous novels in the series as long as you don’t mind getting some plot points spoiled. Why, you ask? Because Feedback happens to act as something like a side story for the first novel, Feed. It covers the same events from a new perspective, and it may even be topical: how do you run a presidential election after a zombie apocalypse? Goodreads praises the new characters. Orbit; hardcover, 496 pages; list price: $25.00.

My Own Words

The Notorious RBG earned that moniker at least partially for her fiery opinions. This new book collects some of the writings and speeches of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with new introductions from authorized biographers Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams. It also includes a fresh introduction to the entire book from the Justice herself. Unsurprisingly, one whole section is dedicated to gender equality in the law, and the other four cover her early years, becoming a justice, tributes to other trailblazers, and discussions on justice itself. A Goodreads review praises the book’s wide range of subjects. Simon & Schuster; hardcover, 400 pages; list price: $30.00.

Next: Review: Crooked Kingdom, Leigh Bardugo

Books also hitting the shelves this week include the conclusion to Laurie Halse Anderson’s Seeds of America trilogy, Ashes as well as Amy S. Foster’s YA/adult crossover The Rift Uprising.

Did we miss your most anticipated release this week? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.