Get Ready to Celebrate October!

Schedule e-Gift Cards and peruse the month's most giftable books

Got any October-born friends and family to celebrate this month? Treat your loved ones to a bookish birthday! (Or any other type of celebration, for that matter!) Choose something special for your October buddies from our roundup of some of the hottest titles of the month, like the Deluxe Slipcase Edition of Red Rising, the first novel from Pierce Brown's iconic, bestselling Red Rising Saga series.

New October-specific e-Gift Card design!

If you'd prefer to go with ThriftBooks e-Gift Cards for your offerings, choose from an assortment of fun designs, including our new month-specific birthday e-gift cards to be delivered on the day of your choosing. Purchase now and schedule for delivery on your recipient's special day. The process is quick and easy. This is a great way to get all your monthly birthday shopping done in one fell swoop!   

September's best gifting books

Here are some of the reads that are currently getting rave reviews from a range of readers.

Fiction finds

• The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham—From the bestselling author of A Perfect Couple, teamed up with her daughter, comes a deliciously scandalous story of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school.
• The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros—Don't miss out on the signed, Special Edition hardcover of this heartbreaking love story from the bestselling author of Fourth Wing.
• Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon—With the awakening of fire-breathing dragons, this prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree sees the first sparks of danger that threaten to consume everything.
• Buckeye by Patrick Ryan—A mesmerizing novel that weaves the intimate lives of two midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late twentieth century.
• The Black Wolf by Louise Penny—The newest mystery featuring the intrepid Chief Inspector Armand Gamache finds him playing a lethal game of cat and mouse with an elusive foe.

Nonfiction gems

• Poems & Prayers by Matthew McConaughey—From the acclaimed actor and author of Greenlights comes an inspiring, faith-filled, and often hilarious collection about navigating the rodeo of life.
• Confronting Evil by Bill O'Reilly and Josh Hammer—The authors profile some of history’s most nefarious characters, like Genghis Khan, Caligula, and Hitler.
• All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert—The author of Eat, Pray, Love chronicles her journey through addiction, dysfunctional love, and self-destructive tendencies.
• The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins—What if the key to happiness, success, and love was as simple as two words? Set yourself free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others.
• Replaceable You by Mary Roach—The author of Stiff takes a deep dive into the history and advances in efforts to create replacement human body parts.

Winsome picture books

• How to Catch a Witch by Alice Walstead, illustrated by Megan Joyce—The How to Catch Kids set out to snare a witch on Halloween. (Ages 4–7)
• The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming, illustrated by Nicola Slater—A funny picture book that teaches kids about autumn, adapting to change, and the seasons perfect for fans of Fletcher and the Falling Leaves. (Ages 4–8)
• Zombie and Brain are Friends by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic, illustrated by Laan Cham—Against all odds, Zeb the zombie and Brian the brain become friends. (Ages 4–8)
• Hansel and Gretel by Stephen King, illustrated by Maurice Sendak—Two literary legends reimagine the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. (Ages 6 and up)
• Chicka Chicka Tricka Treat by Julien Chung—The classic alphabet chant from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom gets a Halloween twist and there's a spooky surprise in store for everyone's favorite letters. (Ages 4–8)

Middle-grade goodies

• Troubling Tonsils! by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown—From the Caldecott-winning team behind Creepy Carrots comes the first entry in a spin-off chapter book series. (Ages 6–9)
• Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate—Meet Pocket, created as a good luck charm for soldiers going into battle, whose bravery and loyalty lives on long after the war. (Ages 8–12)
• The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Yan Glaser—Suspense and a pinch of magic combine in the dual stories of two families, one in 731 China, and one in 1931 Chinatown. (Ages 8–12)
• Partypooper by Jeff Kinney—It's Greg's birthday and you're invited to the chaos. In the 20th book of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Greg Heffley is planning the ultimate party. (Ages 8–12)
• The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell—Christopher and Anya work to save the dragons of the Archipelago in the sequel to Impossible Creatures. (Ages 10 and up)

YA winners

• If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry—Unlikely allies join together to save a girl who is forced to work in a brothel, while monsters and murderers terrorize 19th-century New York City. (Ages 12 and up)
• Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis—As the blood moon rises, teenage Mira starts to wonder if the legends of werewolves in her hometown are true. (Ages 14–17)
• Hekate: The Witch by Nikita Gill—To avoid enslavement by the Olympians, Hekate is hidden in the underworld in this stunning reimagining of Greek mythology. (Ages 14–18)
• Thorn Season by Kiera Azar—Shadow and Bone meets The Selection in the first book of a sharp, sexy, and twisty YA romantasy trilogy. (Ages 14 and up)
• Immortal Consequences by V. Marie—Six students compete to change their fate at an enchanted boarding school in the thrilling first book of a new dark academic fantasy series. (Ages 14 and up)

Culinary keepers

• Mokonuts by Moko Hirayama and Omar Koreitem—The couple behind a beloved Paris restaurant share a gorgeous collection of 100 recipes for dishes blending Middle Eastern warmth, Japanese precision, French and Italian flavors, and American comfort.
• Six Seasons of Pasta by Joshua McFadden—In the follow-up to Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables, a James Beard Award-winning author teaches home cooks how to create seasonal, restaurant-quality dishes at home with store-bought pasta.
• House of Nanking by Kathy and Peter Fang—This collection of 100-plus family recipes from San Francisco's favorite Chinese restaurant includes beloved dishes like Prawns in Twin Happiness Sauce.
• Linger by Hetty Lui McKinnon—With over 100 inventive recipes for meal-worthy salads, smaller bites, and simple sweets, the bestselling cookbook author invites you to join a community of shared food and friendship.
• Family Thai by Arnold Myint and Kat Thompson—Chef Myint, a James Beard nominee breaks down the often-intimidating cuisine with a collection of recipes that is approachable, boldly flavorful, and authentic.

Special editions

• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: Episode III by Matthew Stover—Get the stunning Deluxe Edition of the bestselling novelization of the final film in George Lucas's epic Star Wars prequel trilogy.
• For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn—Perfect for fans of Sarah A. Parker and Callie Hart, this hotter-than-hell romantasy, the first book of the new Hell's Belles series, is available in a Deluxe Limited Edition.
• Bonds of Hercules by Jasmine Mas—Preorder your Deluxe Hardcover Limited Edition of the sequel to the viral bestseller Blood of Hercules.
• Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal by Meghan Quinn—The Limited Deluxe Edition of this spicy holiday rom-com brings plenty of humor and heat for fans of How My Neighbor Stole Christmas.
• The Defender by Ana Huang—Get sizzling heat and delicious tension in book two in the Gods of the Game soccer romance series, now available in a Limited Deluxe Edition.

Happy, happy birthday to all the October babies! Whether you're celebrating a loved one or yourself, we hope you find something perfect here at ThriftBooks to bookify the occasion!

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon