Get Ready to Celebrate September!

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

Got any September-born friends and family to celebrate this month? Treat your loved ones to a bookish celebration! Choose something special for your September sweeties from our roundup of some of the hottest titles of the month, like the newest fantasy in the bestselling Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Lion and the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent.  

New September-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-themed 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 gift 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 

• Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree—Now in paperback, return to the cozy fantasy world of the #1 New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes series with an adventure featuring fan-favorite, foul-mouthed bookseller Fern. 

• The Secrets We Hide by Karin Slaughter— In the second book in the North Falls thriller series, Sheriff Emmy Clifton investigates a crime in which a mother was murdered and her daughter left for dead. 

• The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman—The brand-new series from the bestselling author of Practical Magic follows two brilliant young women attending Radcliffe in the 1950s, as they become immersed in a secret society of witches. 

• The True Meaning of Love by Danielle Steel— This powerful novel offers a stirring story of the lives of ordinary people during wartime. 

• The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig— gothic romantasy, returns with higher stakes, darker mysteries, and deeper longings in this gorgeous sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling sensation The Knight and the Moth. 

Nonfiction gems 

• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls—A remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption from one of the world's most gifted storytellers. 

• Beyond Darwin: How Epigenetics, Quantum Science, and Cooperation Shape Humanity's Future by Bruce H. Lipton—a revolutionary scientific message of hope for humanity's future. 

• Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky—The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. 

• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah—Noah's unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. 

• Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green—The award-winning author and passionate advocate for global healthcare reform, tells a deeply human story illuminating the fight against the world's deadliest infectious disease. 

Winsome picture books 

• Penelope Rex vs. The New Kid by Ryan T. Higgins—Just when she's gotten used to being the only dinosaur in a class full of children, Penelope gets a surprising new classmate. (Ages 3–5)  

• Time for School, Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry—Ride along to school with the Little Blue Truck and meet Blue's new friend: a bright yellow school bus. Beep-beep! (Ages 4–7)  

• Butt or Face by Kari Lavelle—Can you tell a butt from a face? Discover fascinating facts about animals with this hilarious guessing game picture book. (Ages 4–8) 

• I Am Murphy and I Am Waiting by Dan Yaccarino— Murphy is a French bulldog with lots of emotions. Especially when the big yellow thing (aka: the bus) takes his boy away on the first day of school. (Ages 4–8)  

• Who Knows the Way to Mr. Grimly's Classroom by Chris Priestly and Mariachiara Di Giorgio—New student Grace sets off on a long, strange journey through a very odd place, full of twists, turns, and puzzling characters. (Ages 4–8) 

Middle-grade goodies 

• Space for Saffron by Rie Neal—A budding scientist must figure out how to help save her family's cafe and impress at her new school's science fair. (Ages 7–10) 

• The Lions' Run by Sara Pennypacker and Jon Klassen—An orphan living in WWII-era France discovers unexpected courage within himself when he joins the Resistance. (Ages 8–12) 

• The Second Life of Snap by Erin Entrada Kelly—In this hopeful dystopian novel, twelve-year-old Zuzu makes an unexpected connection with Snap, a know-it-all guardian robot. (Ages 8–12) 

• The Endless Game by J. D. Amato—A middle-school boy gets drawn into his new town's intense summer game of capture the flag in this slice-of-life graphic novel. (Ages 8–12) 

• The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera—Winner of the Newbery Medal, this science fiction tale, the first in a trilogy, takes readers on a brilliant journey through the stars. (Ages 10–14) 

YA winners 

• Barbie: Dreamscape by Alex Aster—Step out of the box and into the unexpected with Barbie in an immersive, pink-tastic tale from a prominent in teen fiction. (Ages 12 and up) 

• How to Lose Yourself Completely by Peter Bognanni—A teen grappling with grief and anxiety attends a therapeutic wilderness school in this captivating novel perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and John Green. (Ages 14–18) 

• The Last Best Quest Ever by F. T. Lukens—A fraudulent teen quester must team up with a brooding, royal rival on a perilous adventure to save her brother's life in this romantic YA fantasy. (Ages 14 and up) 

• Anger is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo—From the National Book Award-winning poet and author of The Poet X, comes a new novel-in-verse about doing the right thing, no matter the cost. (Ages 14 and up) 

• Thornbird by E. Kennedy—The daughter of a notorious serial killer races to solve the crimes of her family's twisted past before it's too late. (Ages 14 and up) 

Culinary keepers 

• What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers—As a busy mom to three young boys, the online creator has developed a set of recipes to help home cooks save time and money without compromising on quality or flavor. 

• Cooking Con Omi: A Love Letter to Puerto Rican Home Cooking by Omi Hopper—A celebration of the author's homeland with 100 classic and U.S.-influenced Latino dishes that capture the vibrant, warm, and lively essence of Puerto Rican culture. 

• From Italy with Amore: Seasonal Italian Recipes for Those You Love by Jessi Pasini and Alessio Pasini—Learn how to prepare the most delicious Italian foods, from appetizers to mains, homemade pasta, pizzas, desserts, and more. 

• Cake Picnic by Elisa Sunga—This 50 recipe-collection is the result of a series of joyful, diverse, and deliciously indulgent gatherings where every attendee brought a cake to share. Included is a guide to hosting your own confectionery events. 

• Nights and Weekends: Recipes That Make the Most of Your Time by Alexis deBoschnek—When the author became caretaker and chef to her ailing mother, it inspired her to come up with this collection of recipes that were both delicious and efficient. 

Special editions 

• Kiki and the New Magic by Eiko Kadono—Join the beloved young witch and her clever cat Jiji in the sequel to Kiki's Delivery Service. This special newly translated edition features whimsical, stenciled edges. (Ages 8–12) 

• Fall Too Well by Erin Branscom—Saddle up for book #2 in the Cozy Creek Collection, a spicy, second chance, workplace romance between a single mom and a sexy, smitten, broody cowboy. The deluxe paperback edition comes with stenciled edges.  

• The Time Traveler's Wife: Collector's Edition by Audrey Niffenegger—The stunning new collector's edition of the beloved modern classic comes with gorgeous sprayed edges, four color endpapers, and never-been-seen bonus material. 

• Dreamland by Olivie Blake—This tantalizing dark fantasy is available now in  a beautiful hardcover edition featuring sprayed edges, a designed case stamp, and fully illustrated color endpapers. 

• Book Lovers by Emily Henry—This beloved bestselling rom-com is now available in a gorgeous special hardcover edition with a dazzling revamped cover, beautifully illustrated endpapers with matching sprayed edges, new content, and more. 

Happy, happy birthday to all the September 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