LibraryAware October 2025

Recent Releases

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World
by J. R. Dawson

At the edge of Chicago sits a mysterious lighthouse, a waystation for the souls of the dead to reconcile with their lives before moving on. Nera, usually standing by watching her father ferry these souls, is drawn into a night of chaos when a living woman named Charlie has boarded the ferry, searching for someone she lost. Fans of the musical Hadestown will enjoy this "grim, authentic exploration of death for those who appreciate mythology-infused fantasy" (Library Journal).

The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand
by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, eds.

Set during and after the events of Stephen King's highly acclaimed 1978 novel The Stand, this anthology collects new stories of human resilience after the apocalypse from authors like Poppy Z. Brite, Tananarive Due, Josh Malerman, and many more. Both a tribute to and an expansion of the original novel, fans of King's work will be delighted by the dedication on display from the contributors.

The Library at Hellebore
by Cassandra Khaw

Alessa Li has been forcibly enrolled at Hellebore Technical Institute, an elite academy for the dangerously powerful world-enders within its hallowed walls. On graduation day, Alessa is trapped in the library along with other students being forced to take part in the institute's grisly ritual: being devoured by the monstrous faculty. A harrowing and lore-rich tread into the darkest depth of dark academia fantasy, Khaw's latest is "a visceral symphony of body horror" (Booklist).

Infinite Archive
by Mur Lafferty

In this 3rd entry in the Midsolar Murders series, Mallory Viridian's relative peace (and boredom) is disrupted when she boards a data ship from Earth carrying a boatload of mystery convention-goers -- as well as the entire Internet. With all of these converging chaotic elements, Mallory must solve the murder of her agent before time runs out. For fans of: fast-paced and snappy science fiction crime novels such as Malka Older's Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series or Constance Fay's Uncharted Hearts series.

Anji Kills a King
by Evan Leikam

Castle servant Anji is on the run after murdering the king, with a mysterious band of mercenaries known as the Menagerie hot on her heels. One of the Menagerie, a surly swordswoman named Hawk, has cause to keep Anji alive and the two form an uneasy alliance to evade death. Fast-paced and rich with character and world details, this debut series opener is a must for fans of Christopher Buehlman's The Blacktongue Thief and Sarah Rees Brennan's Long Live Evil.

The Adventures of Mary Darling
by Pat Murphy

In this clever Victorian mashup, Mary Darling is beside herself when her three children go missing, and her uncle John Watson's dear friend Sherlock Holmes proves more hindrance than help. Mary takes matters into her own hands, recruiting friends from her past to help her find her way to Neverland and rescue Wendy, Michael, and John herself. With both fantastical adventure and thoughtful exploration of both sexism and colonialism, this book will be a delight for readers looking for another feminist retelling of classic tales.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning
by Josh Rountree

Twenty five years ago, Catherine Coldbridge used her skills both as a doctor and an occultist to bring back her murdered husband; but being resurrected without a soul had violent consequences, and Catherine was forced to flee Texas. Now she has returned to finally put an end to her husband, who's traveling in a Wild West show as The Unkillable Frank Lightning. This weird Western Frankenstein tale is ideal for readers looking for offbeat speculative historical titles such as I Travel By Night by Robert R. McCammon.

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