Author Kristen J. Sollée’s favorite selections from her magical book collection Occult expert Kristen J. Sollée is a sorceress with words whose fascinating histories—Witches Sluts Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive; Cat Call: Reclaiming the Feral Feminine; and Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch (out October 1)—are catnip for dark-at-heart feminists. We asked her what books she cherishes most from her home reference library, and her picks are perfect for Halloween season.  1. Sexuality, Magic & Perversion by Francis King As a devoted...

Grand: A Memoir By Sara Schaefer (Gallery Books) Sara Schaefer was only in grade school when her life was turned upside down by a family scandal. Already a cautious child, she becomes even more vigilant in the face of this formative experience, which exacerbates her anxiety but also gifts Schaefer with an ironclad sense of humor that serves as a shield against life’s difficult circumstances. This talent for wit in the face of hardship serves her well in her chosen profession of comedy; she carves out dizzying career success while experiencing...

Rachel Wiley’s new poetry collection, Fat Girl Finishing School, is a tender, hilarious, illuminating journey written openly and unapologetically by a woman whom the world has aimed to shame into silence because of her body. Wiley is both a fighter and a comedic jackpot, blending razor-sharp cynicism and wit with heartbreaking truth. These poems will sneak up on you, making you laugh at the most inappropriate moment or cry exactly when you need to. In the poem, “In Which the Poet Learns to Wake Up...

If you're like me, every season is the perfect season for a good mystery. But the turning leaves, pumpkin-laden doorsteps, and darker nights of fall add to the strong sinister vibes of a well-written thriller. With everything occupying our minds and energy right now, it can be difficult to feel excited about this year's All Hallow's Eve. But luckily, some of the best names in the mystery game have come to our rescue to ensure that we experience some chilling, festive fright. Here are 5 new...

While the term “fangirl” has been playfully reclaimed by people of all genders, the historical portrayal of young women music enthusiasts has often landed somewhere between glossed-over footnote and “hysterical” as a metric used to measure a musician’s power. In Fangirls: Scenes From Modern Music Culture, author Hannah Ewens, whose own experiences are included, explores a far more complex view of fandom through exhaustive research and interviews with women and gender-nonconforming music devoteesin the U.K., Europe, North America, and Japan. The individual voices and profiles vary...

In Convenience Store Woman, the first of Japanese novelist Sayaka Murata’s books to be translated into English, the author established herself as someone with a knack for writing genuine oddballs and misfits. Earthlings, her follow-up, is even weirder. The book follows a girl named Natsuki as a child and then later as a 30-something. Abused by her mother, uncared for by her father and sister, and molested by a teacher, Natsuki literally believes herself to be a magical alien from the planet Popinpobopia. The only...

Akwaeke Emezi made history when their debut novel, Freshwater, was nominated for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2019. The 33-year-old is also a video artist and essayist. They received critical acclaim for Freshwater, a semi-autobiographical work exploring their Igbo heritage and gender identity, which is being adapted into a television series by FX. The nomination was the first time that a non-binary transgender writer was recognized by the prize. With Emezi’s second novel, The Death of Vivek Oji, which was released earlier this year,...

The protagonist of V.E. Schwab’s latest novel, Addie Larue, has lived the last 300 years giving everyone she meets a kind of temporary amnesia. The man she meets on Monday night will not remember her when he wakes on Tuesday morning; the clerk she just greeted will not remember her as soon as she walks out the door. Addie is resigned to her fate, until Henry, a boy in a bookshop, says what seem to be magic words: “I remember you.” The Invisible Life of Addie...

All events are based in New York City, however, they are all virtual and most of them are free. The pandemic is scary enough, but don’t let it ruin your chance at some real spooky content for October. Don't miss out on these events.The Strand Anais Mitchell with Patrick Page: Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown October 7th 7:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. Join the Strand for a virtual event on Crowdcast with Tony award-winning singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell and tony award-nominated actor Patrick Page to...

Toxic masculinity takes center stage in Lisa Jewell’s latest domestic thriller, Invisible Girl. Driving the narrative are three very different individuals: Saffyre, Cate, and Owen. Saffyre is a 17-year-old holding onto something terrible that prevents her from connecting with the world around her. Cate is a middle-aged stay-at-home mom working to keep her strained marriage intact. And Owen is a lonely, recently unemployed 30-something with unexamined misogynistic tendencies. When Saffyre goes missing on Valentine’s night, their lives collide. In order to untangle, they must pull...