Witches, werewolves, and ghosts abound in the best new books coming out this October [1]. It's clear that publishers are embracing the spooky season in a big way this year, and we're definitely here for it. However, we also know not everyone is into horror, so don't worry, this month also brings literary fiction titles from heavy hitters like Jonathan Franzen, romance reads that will leave you feeling all the feels [2], and a trio of nonfiction titles from a diverse group of celebrities. No matter what genre you're looking for, there's bound to be a new book (or five) for you to fall in love with among October's expansive selection of must-read books [3].
Love, Comment, Subscribe by Cathy Yardley
Love, Comment, Subscribe [4] by Cathy Yardley is a romance for the internet age. Former misfits and frenemies Lily Wang and Tobin Bui have both carved out careers for themselves online, but they're in need of a little push to reach superstar status. When it becomes clear their brands need a bit of a makeover, they reluctantly turn to each for a collaboration that could be the start of something more than just a career boost.
Out Oct. 1
Under Colour of Law by Aaron Philip Clark
Aaron Philip Clark's Under Colour of Law [5] tackles the debate surrounding police reform head on with a protagonist who hopes to change the system from the inside out. Unfortunately for Trevor "Finn" Finnegan, the corruption within the Los Angeles Police Department runs deeper than he ever imagined, and when a volatile case leads him deep within the city's underbelly, Finn's very life may be on the line.
Oct. 1
After Perfect by Maan Gabriel
After 16 years of marriage, Gabriella Stevens's husband suddenly asks for a divorce in Maan Gabriel's After Perfect [6]. What seems like a tragedy at first opens the door for Gabriella to go back to school, start a career, and find a new love, who might just give her a real happily ever after this time.
Out Oct. 4
Bad Fat Black Girl by Sesali Bowen
Entertainment journalist Sesali Bowen covers everything from fatphobia to the trouble with mainstream feminism in her riveting and essential collection of essays, Bad Fat Black Girl [7]. Drawing from her experiences growing up as a Black, queer woman in Chicago, Bowen serves up insightful cultural commentary through the lens of hip-hop and race.
Out Oct. 5
Cackle by Rachel Harrison
As funny as it is frightening, Cackle [8] by Rachel Harrison is the perfect book to cuddle up with on a crisp fall evening. After being dumped by her boyfriend, Annie moves to a picturesque small town in upstate New York where everything is perfect except for the spider infestation in her apartment. Soon, Annie meets the mysterious Sophie, a glamorous woman who inspires her to be her best self, even as the rest of the town appears to be terrified of the ageless resident.
Out Oct. 5
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
Jonathan Franzen serves up another American epic in Crossroads [9]. The famed author's latest novel follows the Hildebrandts, a family on the cusp of a seismic shift on the eve of Dec. 23, 1971, as their pastor patriarch prepares to ask his wife for a divorce — if his wife doesn't ask him first, that is.
Out Oct. 5
The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
Set in dark alternate history version of post-war England, The Death of Jane Lawrence [10] by Caitlin Starling is a creeping, Gothic horror novel full of unforgettable twists. For Jane, a marriage of convenience to a suitable man who will let her maintain her independence seems like a practical arrangement to enter into. But when her new husband begins to act oddly in his crumbling family home, Jane realises there's something very strange going on indeed.
Out Oct. 5
Everything Within and in Between by Nikki Barthelmess
A teen named Ri Fernández struggles to find and claim her identity in Nikki Barthelmess's moving Everything Within and in Between [11]. Raised by her strict Mexican grandmother, Ri has been forbidden from learning Spanish in favour of chasing her grandma's version of the American dream. But Ri wants nothing more than to get in touch with her heritage, even if it means defying her grandmother's wishes and reaching out to the mother who left her so many years ago.
Out Oct. 5
The Falling Girls by Hayley Krischer
Two of October's best YA books focus on cheerleaders, but the stories couldn't be more different. Up first is The Falling Girls [12] by Hayley Krischer, a thriller that delves into toxic friendships and the complex relationships between teen girls. When Shade joins the cheerleading team, her best friend, Jadis, isn't happy about the idea of sharing her friend with a new group, but would that really drive her to commit murder?
Out Oct. 5
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
The Holiday Swap [13] by Maggie Knox is every bit as warm and cosy as a Hallmark Christmas movie. Just days before Christmas, twins Charlie and Cass switch places after an accident leaves baking show judge Charlie without her sense of taste or smell. However, the twins' simple deception quickly becomes complicated when two potential suitors enter the picture.
Out Oct. 5
A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli
The ever practical Niki Randhawa finds an awfully handsome reason to throw caution to the wind in A Holly Jolly Diwali [14] by Sonya Lalli. While attending her friend's wedding in Mumbai, Niki meets a man who encourages her to embrace her creative side, but her new romance is threatened when a job offer back home leaves her torn between listening to her heart or doing what she feels is best for her family.
Out Oct. 5
I Love You, but I've Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins
I Love You, but I've Chosen Darkness [15] by Claire Vaye Watkins is a knockout of a book. Alternately funny and heartbreaking, the story centres on a new mother's journey into her past as she struggles with postpartum depression and searches for the truest version of herself against the backdrop of the Mojave Desert.
Out Oct. 5
Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger
The world of online dating is even scarier than usual in Lisa Unger's intense Last Girl Ghosted [16]. After forming an instant connection with a man she matches with on a dating app, a woman is astonished when he completely ghosts her. But that's only the beginning — she soon realises he's done this before, and the women in question have all disappeared.
Out Oct. 5
The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke
C.J. Cooke's The Lighthouse Witches [17] is an unnerving Gothic thriller designed to keep readers guessing. Twenty years after two sisters went missing on a Scottish island, one of them returns, but somehow, she's still a child. The third sister is sceptical, but she knows the only way to unravel the mystery is to return home and face the truth about what happened to her siblings.
Out Oct. 5
The Neighbour's Secret by L. Alison Heller
If you've been craving a Big Little Lies-esque thriller, then The Neighbour's Secret [18] by L. Alison Heller is sure to be one of your favourite reads this year. The story focuses on a book club populated by suburban moms who love to read mysteries and thrillers. But when increasingly violent acts of vandalism target the group's members, it becomes apparent their idyllic cul-de-sac isn't all that different from the dark stories they love reading so much.
Out Oct. 5
Once More Upon a Time by Roshani Chokshi
Once More Upon a Time [19] by Roshani Chokshi is a slight novella, but the beautifully written fairy tale is still a feast of a book. The story follows Imelda and Ambrose, a couple trapped in a loveless relationship who find a second chance at happiness in the most unexpected of places.
Out Oct. 5
Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper
Once you visit the magical small town of Thistle Grove, you'll never want to leave. In Payback's a Witch [20], Lana Harper crafts a delicious tale of witchy fun, revenge, and romance as a witch named Emmy returns home just in time to team up with her ex's two most recent exes to teach him a lesson about playing with people's hearts.
Out Oct. 5
Reprieve by James Han Mattson
Destined to be one of the most talked about books of the year, Reprieve [21] by James Han Mattson is a searing novel of suspense, horror, and class politics. In 1997, a disparate group of people attempt to navigate a full-contact haunted escape room in hopes of winning a cash prize. What begins as a night of controlled fun spirals out of control when someone is murdered, leaving the rest of the group to contemplate their complicity in the heinous act.
Out Oct. 5
Sankofa by Chibundu Onuzo
In the wake of her mother's death and the end of her marriage, a woman named Anna decides to seek out her father, a man she has never met, in Sankofa [22] by Chibundu Onuzo. What she doesn't expect to discover is that her biological father was once the dictator of a nation in West Africa — and he's still alive.
Out Oct. 5
Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Lisa Sterle, Squad [23] is a graphic novel with bite. Even if you've never picked up a comic book before, this smart werewolf tale about a group of popular girls who use their supernatural secret to take down the school's most loathsome boys is a perfect Halloween [24] read.
Out Oct. 5
Taste by Stanley Tucci
You may know actor Stanley Tucci best from films like The Devil Wears Prada and Julie and Julia, but he's also a passionate foodie and gifted writer. In Taste [25], Tucci takes readers on a journey through his life via the food he has eaten along the way. From falling in love over a memorable dinner to filming the foodie film Big Night, it seems delicious meals have always been at the centre of his life story.
Out Oct. 5
We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza
We Are Not Like Them [26] by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza is a stirring novel about the lifelong friendship between two women, Riley, who is Black, and Jen, who is white. Their relationship is rocked when Jen's police officer husband is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black man, and journalist Riley is assigned to cover the story. For the first time, the friends are divided as they each grapple with the aftermath of the shooting and the impact it has on their lives.
Out Oct. 5
Why We Fly by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
In Why We Fly [27], authors Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal tackle the topics of social justice and female friendship with a sharp sincerity that's sure to resonate with readers of all ages. At the start of their senior year, cheerleaders and lifelong best friends Eleanor and Chanel are already feeling anxious about the changes coming their way, but when the cheerleading team takes a knee at a football game and enters the public spotlight, their friendship is put to the test.
Out Oct. 5
Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
The long-awaited sequel to Benjamin Alire Sáenz's Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is finally here, and it is more than worth the wait. In Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World [28], Dante and Ari are still very much in love, but life is anything but easy for the couple. Things become even more complicated when a sudden loss leaves Ari searching for a way to live the life he truly wants.
Out Oct. 12
The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman
Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic series concludes with The Book of Magic [29], a gorgeous story of family ties and the power of love. When Jet Owens realises she has just seven days left to live, she gathers her family together for a globe-trotting adventure to break their family's curse once and for all.
Out Oct. 12
The Brides of Maracoor by Gregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire returns to the world of Wicked in his new spinoff series The Brides of Maracoor [30]. This time around, the focus is on Elphaba's granddaughter, Rain, who washes ashore on the island of Maracoor, and must begin a perilous journey that will eventually lead her back home to Oz.
Out Oct. 12
Capote's Women by Laurence Leamer
Capote's Women [31] by Laurence Leamer is a fascinating nonfiction book about the greatest American novel that was never published. Leamer delves into the years following famed author Truman Capote's success, which led to him becoming the confidante of the most vibrant women in New York's social scene. However, those relationships soured when the author turned the women's deepest secrets into fodder for his final, unpublished novel Answered Prayers.
Out Oct. 12
Jade Fire Gold by June CL Tan
Looking to get lost in an epic fantasy novel this month? Then you need to read Jade Fire Gold [32] by June CL Tan as soon as possible. In this incredible debut, a lost heir teams up with a young woman with no past who may be the only person who can help him retake the throne that is rightfully his.
Out Oct. 12
No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield
No One Will Miss Her [33] by Kat Rosenfield is a thriller for the digital age. Narrated from beyond the grave by Lizzie, the most hated person in her small town, she recounts how her life became entangled with a famous influencer's and how their fateful meeting led to her untimely demise.
Out Oct. 12
The Other Man by Farhad J. Dadyburjor
Farhad J. Dadyburjor's The Other Man [34] is all about living the life you want, not the one that is expected of you. At 38, Ved Mehra is the heir of a Mumbai business empire, who seems to be living a charmed life. But what his family doesn't know is that he's gay, and although he has finally agreed to an arranged marriage, he has also found the man of his dreams.
Out Oct. 12
Raver Girl by Samantha Durbin
Raver Girl [35] by Samantha Durbin is a coming of age memoir about one woman's drug-fuelled journey through high school in the '90s. Over the course of four years, Durbin attended 104 raves and tried a myriad of drugs as she teetered between total self-destruction and startling self-discovery.
Out Oct. 12
Silverview by John Le Carré
John Le Carré died in December 2020, but the prolific author left behind one final novel, Silverview [36]. Like so many of his most famous works, Silverview takes readers inside a world of espionage and mystery. This time the focus is on Julian Lawndsley, a man who leaves behind his career to run a small bookshop, only to find he can't outrun his past.
Out Oct. 12
State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny
Bestselling authors Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny have combined their unique perspectives to serve up a Byzantine tale of political intrigue on a global scale in State of Terror [37]. When an untested secretary of state is confronted with an international conspiracy, she'll have to team up with a journalist and a foreign service officer to unravel the intricate plot that is unfolding around her.
Out Oct. 12
Where There's a Whisk by Sarah J. Schmitt
Where There's a Whisk [38] by Sarah J. Schmitt combines the joy of cooking competition shows with juicy teen drama, and it's definitely a recipe for success. In hopes of leaving her small town behind to attend culinary school, Peyton joins the reality show Top Teen Chef. However, she quickly learns that separating fact from fiction in the world of reality TV is no easy task.
Out Oct. 12
The Last Season by Jenny Judson and Danielle Mahfood
If you love a juicy, Victorian-era story of forbidden love, then The Last Season [39] by Jenny Judson and Danielle Mahfood deserves to be at the top of your TBR pile. High-society woman Cassandra Drayton knows she can never truly be with her childhood friend and former stable boy Crispin St. John, but when he sets off to make his own fortune, it seems destiny might draw them together after all.
Out Oct. 18
The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab
Still thinking about The Queen's Gambit? Then The Last Checkmate [40] by Gabrielle Saab is the book for you. When resistance fighter and chess player Maria Florkowska is imprisoned in Auschwitz, she uses her chess skills to save her life and plot the downfall of the camp deputy, Karl Fritzsch.
Out Oct. 19
Litani by Jess Lourey
Inspired in part by the satanic panic of the '80s, Litani [41] by Jess Lourey is an eerie thriller about a 14-year-old girl named Frankie, who moves to a small town where whispers of an event called "The Game" hint at something dark going on just below the surface. After a group of bullies invite her to join the mysterious event, Frankie becomes determined to discover what's really going on in her new hometown.
Out Oct. 19
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
Margaret Owen has crafted an unputdownable heist novel in Little Thieves [42]. Former servant Vanja thought stealing the life of a princess would be easy, but when she angers the wrong god, she ends up in a race against time to keep her carefully crafted scheme from completely unravelling.
Out Oct. 19
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Trust us, you're going to want to sleep with the lights on after reading Nothing But Blackened Teeth [43] by Cassandra Khaw. This haunted house story mixes Japanese folklore with heart-stopping scares as a group of women celebrate a bridal shower in a house that just so happens to be haunted by a ghost bride, who is hungry for company.
Out Oct. 19
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia are going to fall in love with Patti Callahan's heartwarming novel Once Upon a Wardrobe [44]. When Oxford student Megs Devonshire discovers her young brother doesn't have long to live, she sets out to answer his question of where Narnia comes from. But when she seeks out C. S. Lewis himself, she quickly finds the answer is more magical than she ever imagined.
Out Oct. 19
The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting by Evanna Lynch
Actor and activist Evanna Lynch's The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting [45] is an unflinching look at her journey from starring in Harry Potter [46] to facing disordered eating. Along the way, Lynch found a sense of purpose in creativity that has sustained her in adulthood and helped her share her story with the world.
Oct. 19
Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno
Set during those halcyon days of the last summer before senior year, Our Way Back to Always [47] by Nina Moreno is a beautiful second-chance romance about two teens who find their way back to each other via a forgotten bucket list. It has been four years since former best friends Lou and Sam spoke to one another, but with the pressures of senior year looming, they come together to check off all the items on the bucket list they made way back in middle school.
Out Oct. 19
A Season For Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss
With her children grown and her 26-year marriage over, Annie Sharpe finds a new purpose as the caretaker of a seaside resort in A Season For Second Chances [48] by Jenny Bayliss. What she doesn't expect is for the owner's nephew to be so maddeningly annoyed by her presence in his family's business.
Out Oct. 19
Unprotected by Billy Porter
Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning actor Billy Porter shares his life story in his stunning memoir Unprotected [49]. While he's now a well-respected member of Hollywood and a style icon, Porter's early life was anything but charmed. In his memoir, he opens up about what it was like growing up as a gay, Black man in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Out Oct. 19
Well Matched by Jen DeLuca
Jen DeLuca's renaissance faire series continues with Well Matched [50], which focuses on a single mom. April is on the verge of becoming an empty nester and leaving Willow Creek behind when Mitch comes barreling into her life, asking if she'll pose as his fake girlfriend. But what begins as a fake relationship quickly becomes something more for this adorable pair.
Out Oct. 19
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
Within These Wicked Walls [51] by Lauren Blackwood is a clever reimagining of Jane Eyre. This version of Jane, named Andromeda, isn't a nanny — she's an exorcist, who is hired by an eccentric heir named Magnus Rochester to rid his home of the Evil Eye. Unfortunately, his sprawling manse is far more dangerous than anything Andromeda has ever faced before, but she's fallen too hard for her employer to turn back now.
Out Oct. 19
Before and After You by Hope Ellis
If you haven't read a Hope Ellis romance yet, then you're seriously missing out. The author's latest is Before and After You [52], the story of community hospital worker Leigh D'Alessandro and her best friend's brother, Walker Leffersbee, who she can't seem to resist falling for, even though she knows that she most definitely should.
Out Oct. 21
All the Feels by Olivia Dade
Olivia Dade follows up Spoiler Alert with another body positive romance set in the world of fandom in All the Feels [53]. After earning himself the wrong kind of media attention due to a bar fight, Gods of the Gates star Alex is assigned an official minder in the form of Lauren Clegg. And as you might have guessed, it doesn't take long for both of them to catch a serious case of feelings.
Out Oct. 26
As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall
Emmy-Award-winning journalist Tamron Hall kicks off a new mystery series with As the Wicked Watch [54]. Crime reporter Jordan Manning's move to Chicago is meant to kick her career up a notch, but she soon becomes consumed with fighting for justice when she realises the deaths of two Black women that most of the media would rather ignore are actually connected.
Out Oct. 26
Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau
Donut Fall in Love [55] by Jackie Lau is a warmhearted romance about finding love in the midst of grief. After the death of his mother, actor Ryan Kwok is taking a break from Hollywood to focus on himself and his family. What he doesn't expect is for a local baker to steal his heart.
Out Oct. 26
Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday
Christmas and royal romances are as perfect together as warm cookies and milk, as illustrated by Jenny Holiday's swoony new holiday read Duke, Actually [56]. Max is a duke who has recently been dumped, while Dani is still stinging from a breakup herself. However, there's no denying the sparks that fly between these two lonely hearts as the Christmas season approaches.
Out Oct. 26
Fan Club by Erin Mayer
Celebrity-obsession becomes deadly in Fan Club [57] by Erin Mayer. When a disillusioned millennial finds a sense of purpose within a group of fans devoted to tracking every move a famous pop star makes, she soon realises there is something sinister lurking beneath the club's obsessive love for the celeb.
Out Oct. 26
Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun
Lemon [58] by Kwon Yeo-sun is an evocative crime novel that's as much about exploring privilege and trauma as it as about solving the central mystery. Seventeen years after the death of high school student Kim Hae-on, the case has gone cold. But while the rest of the world has moved on, her younger sister can't stop searching for answers.
Out Oct. 26
These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant
In These Silent Woods [59] by Kimi Cunningham Grant, a father will do anything to preserve his life with his daughter — even if it means they have to live in total isolation. For eight years, the father and daughter have lived in a house in the woods with no electricity and minimal interaction with the outside world, but when a new person shows up in the area, their carefully constructed life is in danger of falling apart.
Out Oct. 26
We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera
We Light Up the Sky [60] by Lilliam Rivera puts a refreshing new spin on the old alien invasion trope. The story follows three Latinx teens — Pedro, Luna, and Rafa — as they try to warn people about the arrival of extraterrestrials, but the more they try to tell people what's happening, the more they begin to wonder whether or not humans are more dangerous than the visitors from the sky.
Out Oct. 26