Welcome to Future Fiction, my reimagining of the Waiting on Wednesday meme! There are so many amazing new books coming out, that I can no longer pick just one. My goal with Future Fiction is to share at least three new books each week, a combination of recent cover reveals and books that I’ve recently added to my TBR pile. I’m still going to be linking up with Wishful Endings/Can’t Wait Wednesday, and I also want to give a shout out to Jill at Breaking the Spine for starting the original Waiting on Wednesday meme. I hope you’ll find some new books to add to your TBR piles, and as always, I look forward to hearing what YOU’RE looking forward to:-D
Today I have a trio of October horror releases. Are you ready?
A lyrical and dreamy reimagining of Dracula’s brides, A DOWRY OF BLOOD is a story of desire, obsession, and emancipation.
Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets.
With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.
A Dowry of Blood (A Dowry of Blood #1) by S.T. Gibson. Releases in October 2022 from Orbit Books. This was big news last week, at least it was on my Instagram feed! A Dowry of Blood was first published only last year by small press Nyx Publishing, and it looks like Hachette snatched it up. I love this cover, and I’m really curious to read this.
From a new star in horror fiction comes a terrifying novel of obsession, greed, and the shocking actions we’ll take to protect those we love, all set in a small town filled with dark secrets.
The Larkin siblings are known around the small town of Wofford Falls. Both are artists, but Peter Larkin, Lark to his friends, is the hometown hero. The one who went to the big city and got famous, then came back and settled down. He’s the kind of guy who becomes fast friends with almost anyone. His sister Betsy on the other hand is more… eccentric. She keeps to herself.
When Lark goes to deliver one of his latest pieces to a fabulously rich buyer, it seems like a regular transaction. Even being met at the gate of the sprawling, secluded estate by an intimidating security guard seems normal. Until the guard plays him a live feed: Betsy being abducted in real time.
Lark is informed that she’s safe for now, but her well‑being is entirely in his hands. He’s given a book. Do what the book says, and Betsy will go free.
It seems simple enough. But as Lark begins to read he realizes: the book might be demonic. Its writer may be unhinged. His sister’s captors are almost certainly not what they seem. And his town and those within it are… changing.
And the only way out is through.
It Rides a Pale Horse by Andy Marino. Releases in October 2022 from Redhook. I haven’t seen anyone talk about this book, which surprises me. It had a very “soft” cover reveal over a month ago, but it wasn’t up on Goodreads and there wasn’t much information at all. I finally decided to see if I could find a high res image and share it this week, and luckily I found one, and it’s on Goodreads as well. The cover is so creepy, and I think the story sounds amazing!
An unforgettable, surrealist gothic folk-thriller with commercial crossover appeal from a brilliant new voice.
1643: A small group of Parliamentarian soldiers are ambushed in an isolated part of Northern England. Their only hope for survival is to flee into the nearby Moresby Wood… unwise though that may seem. For Moresby Wood is known to be an unnatural place, the realm of witchcraft and shadows, where the devil is said to go walking by moonlight…
Seventeen men enter the wood. Only two are ever seen again, and the stories they tell of what happened make no sense. Stories of shifting landscapes, of trees that appear and disappear at will… and of something else. Something dark. Something hungry.
Today, five women are headed into Moresby Wood to discover, once and for all, what happened to that unfortunate group of soldiers. Led by Dr Alice Christopher, an historian who has devoted her entire academic career to uncovering the secrets of Moresby Wood. Armed with metal detectors, GPS units, mobile phones and the most recent map of the area (which is nearly 50 years old), Dr Christopher’s group enters the wood ready for anything.
Or so they think.
The Dark Between the Trees by Fiona Barnett. Releases in October 2022 from Rebellion Publishing. Another fantastic cover! The publisher is calling this “woodland horror,” a sub-genre/trope I’ve never heard before. But hey, “gothic folk thriller” reels me in as well! I’m definitely keeping this on my watch list:-)
I’ve heard so many great things about A Dowry of Blood, it sounds super atmospheric and dark, it will be the perfect October read I think 🙂
Maryam (@thecurioussffreader) recently posted…Book Review: The Fallen by Ada Hoffman (The Outside #2)
It’s got lots of high ratings on Goodreads, which makes me even more eager to read it:-)
Three very promising candidates for our “spooky season” reads! I’m particularly curious about Dowry of Bloody because, you know, vampires… 😉
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…THE “WOULD YOU RATHER” TAG FOR BOOK LOVERS
Ah me too! It’s been too long since I’ve read a vampire book:-)
Even I saw the news all over social media about A Dowry of Blood and it sounds amaaaazing. I also love the cover!
It Rides a Pale Horse looks and sounds really fascinating! And that last sentence of the synopsis! “And the only way out is through.” Ahhhh what does it mean!
The Dark Between the Trees also sounds amazing! Gothic folk-thriller also got interested. It’ll be perfect for spooky season!
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Can’t-Wait Wednesday: In Defense of Witches by Mona Chollet
There was definitely a lot of social media presence for A Dowry of Blood!
The Dark Between the Trees sounds SO good. I rushed over to NetGalley to see if I could request it, but they didn’t have it. I’ll have to wait until it comes out. I’m definitely looking forward to your review of that one, but they all three sound like stories I’d enjoy! Happy reading.:-)
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…Priscilla Reviews Three Banned Books
Hopefully it will be up on NetGalley son!
A Dowry of Blood and The Dark Between the Trees are both on my TBR too
Rebecca @ Powder & Page recently posted…Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Dark Between the Trees by Fiona Barnett
I really can’t wait for A Dowry of Blood:-)
I’ve never heard of woodland horror before either but I am here for it!
Bonnie @ For the Love of Words recently posted…Can’t Wait Wednesday | Death by Bubble Tea (LA Night Market #1) by Jennifer J. Chow
It sounds really good, right?
Each one has something going for it. I’ve always loved Dracula, both the original novel and the various stories and movies spawned by it. I love the cover for It Rides a Pale Horse, very creepy. And academics going in to discover the truth behind mysterious happenings in the past? Absolutely an angle I could enjoy if done well.
It does feel like a really strong group of books this week:-) October will be epic!
The new cover for A Dowry of Blood is so beautiful! And, sadly, I am not an horror fan but It Rides A Pale Horse has another great cover and sounds interesting!
I feel like all three covers this week are excellent:-)
Dowry of Blood sounds too amazing to miss (and I love the cover)! All of these look great!
I’m really excited for Dowry of Blood!
Gothy goodness. *grabby hands*
Hannah @ Dragons and Whimsy recently posted…Speculative Fiction Releases in March 2022
Me too:-)
That andy Marino book sounds sooooo good! Actually, they all sound so good! Can’t believe we’re already talking about October releases and that these already have covers for them hahah Thanks for sharing, Tammy! 😀
Lashaan Balasingam recently posted…My Monthly Anticipation | March 2022
October does seem far away, but it will be here before you know it:-)
wow, for October!!
Emma @ Words And Peace recently posted…Book review: The Final Days of Abbot Montrose. An Asbjørn Krag Mystery
It’s going to be a good month!
The Dark Between the Trees sounds fantastic! Love the idea of a Gothic folk thriller.
I agree, I think it’s going to be really good:-)
I’ve been seeing The Dark Between the Trees in a few places today, hadn’t heard of it before but now I’m definitely intrigued!
I can’t remember if I’ve ever read a Rebellion book, but I definitely want to read this one:-)
Oh my, the cover and blurb for It rides a pale horse is gorgeous and spooky, and i need this in my life!!
It’s very cool, right? I’m so curious about the story too:-)
Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, all three of these are shouting out at me. Dracula – of course I want to read Dowry, I love the sound of It Rides a Pale Horse (plus that cover) and then did somebody mention gothic? My catnip??
Damn, my TBR is doomed. DOOMED.
Lynn 😀
Ha ha my job is to doom your TBR;-)
A Dowry of Blood had a very hyped up cover reveal! I thought it was a lot of fun. I really love the original cover and have a copy I’ve been meaning to read, but I really like this cover as well! It Rides a Pale Horse really did have a soft cover reveal a little while ago, and I remember seeing it and deciding it was an auto-buy for me because that cover is everything I love, haha. The Dark Between the Trees sounds really promising, as well!
Jordan @ Forever Lost in Literature recently posted…Month in Review: February 2022
I’m wondering how much Orbit will change A Dowry of Blood? I actually just bought a copy of the original, so I’m curious to see the difference:-)