September is a month for mystery. From curses to missing people to alternate universes, we found stories that will have you tracking every detail and wondering if your favorite characters will find their happy ending or be lost forever.
Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire by Don Martin
Verity Vox is a witch in training. This means that each year she finds herself in a new place, offering her magic and skills to the people who live there. When a strange message leads her to Foxfire, a town cut off from everyone by an evil magician named Earl, Verity’s latest challenge is to break the heavy curse.
The curse has left the citizens of Foxfire with broken items, little food, and a heavy distrust of magic. Over the course of the year, it will be Verity’s job to win them over, but more than that, she’ll have to put everything on the line to see if she can help save them from Earl.
If you like: Fantasy, mystery, magic, friendships, coming of age, small town stories, found family
Difficult Girls by Veronica Bane
Greta Riley Green is starting over. She is going to leave her secrets behind and rebuild her reputation, starting with her new job at Hyper Kid Magic Land. Everything seems to be going well when the job gets her involved with Mercy Goodwin, the star of the park’s most popular show. Mercy is confident and beautiful in a way that draws Greta toward her, and Mercy has a secret, too.
Before Greta can learn Mercy’s secret, the star disappears without a trace, and it seems like something terrible might have happened. As new trouble starts to find her, Greta learns that escaping her past and building her new life might not be as achievable as she thought.
If you like: Contemporary, amusement parks, mystery, reputation, crime, thriller
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories Edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
In this collection of short stories by Indigenous writers, Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In introduces traditional meals and snacks, live music, movies, and heartfelt encounters.
Visiting Sandy June’s is a trip through the experiences of Indigenous people across generations, relationships, and reservations. The stories blend into a collection that feels more like a novel than an anthology.
If you like: Realism, contemporary, short stories, Indigenous voices, community stories, cozy locations
Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee
Right before a scholarship deadline is the perfect time for the internet to go out. This small-ish crisis leads Brenda to Kat’s family coffeeshop, a cozy place with more magic in it than a solid wi-fi connection. Even more inviting is Kat, who proves she is a great barista and a better listener. She is invested in Brenda’s 19-step plan to save the world through science, and Brenda doesn’t seem phased that Kat is the Chosen One.
Their big dreams of saving the world and getting to know each other better hit a snag when it turns out that they’re from different universes, and when they collide, things could get a bit messy.
If you like: Fantasy, cozy stories, coffee shops, magic
The Hex Girls: A Rogue Thorn by Lily Meade
The Hex Girls are bringing their eco-goth sound to Coolsville. New town, new start. Thorn, Luna, and Dusk want to try again after a spooky disaster destroyed their hometown. Unfortunately, the mist that kills crops and makes people sick wherever Thorn goes isn’t something the band can outrun.
Outcast status isn’t good for anyone’s morale, and the band falls apart. Thorn turns to the only group who can help, Mystery, Inc. If they can solve the mystery and prove Thorn’s innocence, the teens can get back to rocking out. The Mystery gang thinks Thorn needs to embrace her magic to fix things, but she’s afraid that things will only take a turn for the worse.
It will be up to the Hex Girls and the Mystery, Inc. gang to save Coolsville from the mist and bring the band back together.
If you like: Horror, thriller, mystery, Scooby Doo, music
