Best New Books of October 2020
The 21 Most Exciting New Releases Hitting Bookshelves Throughout October
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You know it's going to be a good month when Tana French, Stuart Turton, and Christina Lauren all have new books coming out. The abundance of must-read new releases in October is proof that even as the year is winding down, the number of highly anticipated reads is showing no signs of waning. Whether you're looking to learn more about The Bachelorette fan favourite Mike Johnson or you want something spooky to read before Halloween, this month has a little bit of everything. Keep reading to discover all the new titles you need to add to your October TBR, and don't forgot to check out our September list, so you won't miss out on any of the year's best reads.
1 Making the Love You Want by Mike Johnson
The Bachelorette's Mike Johnson is also adding author to his list of accomplishments. The reality star's new book, Making the Love You Want, is all about how he learned to love himself and how you can, too.
Out Oct. 2
2 Boop and Eve's Road Trip by Mary Helen Sheriff
Boop and Eve's Road Trip by Mary Helen Sheriff is the book equivalent of a warm hug. This sweet tale of a grandmother and granddaughter's road trip to find a missing friend is full of fun pitstops and emotional family secrets, making it perfect for anyone who is looking for a gentle but rewarding read.
Out Oct. 6
3 Bright and Dangerous Objects by Anneliese Mackintosh
In a world where travelling to Mars no longer feels like science fiction, Anneliese Mackintosh's Bright and Dangerous Objects is a relatable examination of the ways in which societal constraints can force women to choose between their dreams and starting a family. Deep-sea diver Solvig has long dreamed of being one of the first people to colonize Mars, but she becomes conflicted when she realises risking everything and leaving Earth behind means giving up on the idea of having a family with her partner, James.
Out Oct. 6
4 The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
What if Watson was forced to solve a mystery without the help of Sherlock Holmes? That idea seems to have inspired Stuart Turton's sophomore novel, The Devil and the Dark Water. Samuel Pipps is the greatest detective the world has ever seen, but now that he's locked up aboard a ship bound for Amsterdam, it's up to his bodyguard, Arent Hayes, to unravel a case of occult symbols and curses plaguing their voyage.
Out Oct. 6
5 Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
Sayaka Murata's Earthlings is a strange, wondrous novel about a woman named Natsuki, who thinks she might be an alien. With clever flourishes including a talking stuffed hedgehog toy and a secluded house in the woods, Murata's latest book chronicles Natsuki's life from childhood to adulthood as she struggles to fit into a world that refuses to believe in the extraordinary.
Out Oct. 6
6 Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
When a blackout hits New York, two couples are forced to form an uneasy alliance at a remote getaway in Rumaan Alam's Leave the World Behind, an intricate thriller about race, class, and fear. Amanda, Clay, and their kids are enjoying some time off the grid in a luxurious holiday home when the owners of the rental show up bearing disturbing news: something has gone terribly wrong in New York. Shut off from the rest of the world, the two families struggle to hide their suspicions about each other's motives.
Out Oct. 6
7 Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
Alice Hoffman continues to tell the story of the Owens family from Practical Magic in Magic Lessons. But this time she's going all the way back to the 1600s to explore how the Owens family's bloodline began and the origin of the curse that will plague the women in the family for centuries.
Out Oct. 6
8 The Searcher by Tana French
Acclaimed crime novelist Tana French uncovers the dark side of a small town in Ireland in her latest novel, The Searcher. After spending 25 years on the Chicago police force, Cal Hooper purchases a fixer upper in an Irish village, but his peaceful retirement doesn't last long. Soon a young man convinces Cal to help him find his missing brother, and in the process, he discovers the picturesque town is full of secrets.
Out Oct. 6
9 A Wild Winter Swan by Gregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked, turns his attention to a new fairy tale in A Wild Winter Swan. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Swans," the story follows a troubled teenager at Christmas in 1960s New York. After the death of her brother and her mother's breakdown, Laura's life is in a constant state of upheaval, which makes the arrival of a swan boy with a missing wing a welcome distraction from her own grief.
Out Oct. 6
10 The Wrong Kind of Woman by Sarah McCraw Crow
The Wrong Kind of Woman by Sarah McCraw Crow is set against the backdrop of the '70s-era second-wave feminist movement. After her professor husband dies suddenly, Virginia finds herself drawn to the four unmarried women who face scorn for working at the male-dominated college. Soon she's fighting alongside them to bring the women's movement to Clarendon College, despite the very real threats of violence from the community.
Out Oct. 6
11 Billions of Besties by Peggy Panosh and Susie Arons
Full of gorgeous illustrations and odes to friendships both real and fictional, Billions of Besties by Peggy Panosh and Susie Arons is a celebration of the power of friendship. The book features 100 entries covering the bonds between Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, and more. Pick up a copy for yourself, and go ahead and grab one for your bestie, too, because this beautiful book will make a great gift.
Out Oct. 13
12 Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
The civilizations of the pre-Columbian Americas inspired Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, the first book in a riveting new fantasy series. With the winter solstice coinciding with an eclipse, the holy city of Tova is bracing for the arrival of a god as a young man with a special destiny sails toward the city in this sprawling epic.
Out Oct. 13
13 A Lover's Discourse by Xiaolu Guo
Xiaolu Guo's A Lover's Discourse follows a Chinese woman as she navigates life in post-Brexit Britain. As she tries to find her place in a country that's becoming more and more hostile to foreigners, she falls for a landscape architect. The book is told entirely through fragments of their conversation as they try to build a life together.
Out Oct. 13
14 Negotiations by Destiny O. Birdsong
Negotiations by Destiny O. Birdsong is a powerful collection of poems about self-love, healing, and living in a broken America. At its heart, Birdsong's collection is an ode to Black women: their struggles, their beauty, and the need to dismantle the systems designed to take away their power.
Out Oct. 13
15 She Come by It Natural by Sarah Smarsh
Sarah Smarsh delves into the life of Dolly Parton and the lives of the women she sings about in She Come by It Natural. The author explores not only Parton's journey to become a self-made woman but also how her music speaks for the working poor, including a generation of women who were feminist in their actions even as they struggled with what it meant to define themselves with the word.
Out Oct. 13
16 Three Little Truths by Eithne Shortall
Pine Road is a beautiful street full of pretty houses, but in Eithne Shortall's Three Little Truths, each one of those houses holds a secret. There's Martha, who suddenly moved her family to Dublin for reasons she won't explain; Robin, who moves back home with her parents with her 4-year-old in tow; and Edie, who wants nothing more than to start a family with her reluctant husband. When the trio of women form a friendship, their long-kept secrets begin to unravel one by one.
Out Oct. 13
17 In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
It's never too early to read a holiday book when it's written by romance dynamic duo Christina Lauren. The talented writing team's latest swoon-worthy novel, In a Holidaze, finds a woman named Maelyn reliving Christmas over and over after making a silent plea to the universe to show her what will make her happy.
Out Oct. 20
18 Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth
Looking for something spooky and clever to read this Halloween? Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth is the book for you. This novel truly has it all: a Sapphic love story, a cursed boarding school, and an ill-fated movie production. Spanning decades and telling a story nestled inside another story, this smart and deliciously frightful novel is one of the year's best.
Out Oct. 20
19 The Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira by Lou Diamond Phillips
Actor Lou Diamond Phillips's The Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira is a rich sci-fi/fantasy novel with shades of Game of Thrones. When a young man is forced to become a soldier, he must find a way to survive in strange new lands. But at the same time, he finds himself falling in love with a princess who will draw him into a world of political intrigue.
Out Oct. 20
20 Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda
Aoko Matsuda's Where the Wild Ladies Are is a ghost story — just not the kind you're imagining. This interconnected collection of feminist retellings of Japanese folktales focuses on the spirits of women who are uninhibited now that they're no longer alive.
Out Oct. 20
21 Memorial by Bryan Washington
Memorial by Bryan Washington is at once a love story, a tale of self-actualization, and an ode to family in every sense of the word. Benson and Mike have been together for six happy years, but their relationship is in a rut when Mike discovers his father is dying. As Mike flies off to Japan without saying goodbye, his mother arrives to stay with Benson, and both men embark on a journey to discover what they truly want out of life.
Out Oct. 27
