Fall fiction is hot off the presses


School begins in a flurry of bookstore receipts, new syllabi and of course, assigned reading. For those not ready to let go of their fiction fix and for readers searching for a new book to offer them a break from the gray world of textbook language and note-taking, there comes an entourage of writers presenting new works.

Next time your roommate jokes that your concentration is making the room smelled like burnt hair, or you find yourself yearning for some relaxing time before digging into the writing of numerous papers, assign yourself some break time and pick up your favorite paperback or hardcover.

The below titles, whether or not hyped up, surely can grant you the few minutes you need to maintain your sanity. Dip into the beauty of the written word and see where it may take you.

From romance to crime, the next few weeks promise novel works (pun intended) that keep readers entertained and transport them from the world of classes to for 200 pages or more.

Wicked Appetite

By Janet Evanovich

Release date: Sept. 14

Paperback, 320 pages

After writing an impressive amount of romance novels, Evanovich has moved on to mystery novels.

For her newest effort, Evanovich will use the character Diesel from her Stephanie Plum series and create a spin-off series. Wicked Appetite will introduce a new character who will also act as narrator.

Diesel, who first appeared in Vision of Sugar Plums, will continue to battle against the Plum series’ villain Gerewulf Grimorie while also attempting to find relics associated with the seven deadly sins. The novel suggests a mix of romance with a side of crime-fighting and mystery-solving.

Fallout

By Ellen Hopkins

Release date: Sept. 14

Hardcover, 672 pages

As the dizzyingly popular Harry Potter series shows there is no taboo for reading young adult fiction. Hopkins takes you on a 600-page trip not to a fictional land where you can fly on a broom and hide under your invisible cloak, but to the contemporary world marked by challenges and obstacles.

October 2004 marked the release of Hopkin’s debut novel Crank. Though a young adult novel, the story touched on the sensitive topic of drug abuse.

In fact, Hopkins’ often novels seem to touch on delicate subjects, but with a great amount of poignancy and freedom. She continues to write, releasing similar one-word title novels, breaking  the boundaries of genre and written entirely in short poems.

Her upcoming release will once again deal with Kristina and her plight. The novel is the third in what unintentionally became a full-fledged series. The sequel comes with a twist — the narration will be supplied by Kristina’s three oldest children.

Mockingjay

By Suzanne Collins

Release date: Aug. 24

Hardcover, 400 pages

If Hopkins’ young adult tale does not satisfy your craving for another epic series, then nothing will. To start off, she got a nod from vampire-creating Stephenie Meyer with the release of the first installation of her series, The Hunger Games.

The first novel starts us off with the character and her life in a dystopic society which, as any good suffocating and disturbing fictitious society does, creates something to prove its insanity.

This time the twisted community creates the “hunger games” and thrusts some of its young citizens into a vicious struggle to get out of a maze alive. The novel seems to take on the Harry Potter idea of the Tri-Wizard Tournament and expand it into a full-fledged series with gruesome events and cliffhanger endings. Fans will wait no longer for the fate of the characters, as Mockingjay brings the series to an end.

Safe Haven

By Nicholas Sparks

Release date: Sept. 14

Hardcover, 352 pages

If you’ve ever tried your hardest not to cry while watching A Walk to Remember or The Notebook, meet the creator of those heart-wrenching romantic stories, Nicholas Sparks, who is the flame behind those arduous romance films.

As a prolific writer of romance novels, and currently one of the most well-paid authors, Sparks has offered some inspiration for numerous touching, chick-flick films.

Sparks created tear-jerkers with characters balancing a variety of issues, including class differences and mental illness, with a seemingly indestructible bound to another human being.

His latest upcoming novel promises readers another romantic adventure, this time involving a college student. Safe Haven hits bookstores next month and will surely continue to keep Spark’s name on the best-seller list.