We've officially made it through summer, and our reward is an impressive list of must-read books coming out in September [1]. This month includes highly anticipated new titles from bestselling authors including Nicholas Sparks, Nick Hornby, and Ruth Ware. Add in a whole host of books already generating rave reviews — from The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes, 2020's answer to Daisy Jones and the Six, to Alyssa Cole's masterful first thriller [2] When No One Is watching — and it's clear that September is one of the most exciting months of the year for book fans. Go ahead and clear your calendar now, because this month is made for reading.
Daddy by Emma Cline
After wowing readers with The Girls, Emma Cline is back with Daddy [3], a collection of short stories that examine the dark side of human nature. From a father's journey to retrieve his son from boarding school to a guest whose stay at rehab isn't what it seems, these 10 thought-provoking tales are all page-turners in their own right.
Out Sep. 1
A Girl Is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Grounded in the folklore of Uganda, A Girl is A Body of Water [4] by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi follows a young woman named Kirabo who is searching for her mother while grappling with a growing rebellious streak that connects her to the First Woman. Kirabo's journey of self-discovery is at once inspiring and epic with just the right amount of magical realism added for good measure.
Out Sep. 1
The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim
Nancy Jooyoun Kim's The Last Story of Mina Lee [5] is part mystery, part ode to the tenuous bond between a mother and her daughter. When Margot Lee discovers that her mother Mina has died under mysterious circumstances, she begins to delve into Mina's past, exploring her arrival in America from Korea and the love story that could hold answers to the mystery surrounding her death.
Out Sep. 1
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante
The Lying Life of Adults [6] by Elena Ferrante is so good that Netflix is already turning it into an original series [7]. Set against the backdrop of a divided Naples, a young woman named Giovanna struggles with her growing resemblance to the aunt her parents' despise in this sweeping coming of age tale.
Out Sep. 1
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
Award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam teamed up to write Punching the Air [8], a powerful story told in verse about a young man imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Even as the prison system tries to break him, 16-year-old Amal Shahid refuses to stop fighting for his truth and his freedom.
Out Sep. 1
The Residence by Andrew Pyper
There's something spooky going on in the White House in Andrew Pyper's deliciously creepy The Residence [9]. After his son dies in a tragic accident, Franklin Pierce and his wife Jane move into the White House only to find there's something potentially malevolent already living there in this unconventional political horror story.
Out Sep. 1
The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan
Fans of Daisy Jones and the Six shouldn't miss out on The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes [10] by Elissa R. Sloan. Delving deep into the dark side of pop stardom, this novel told through multiple timelines and perspectives follows the downfall of a Spice Girls-esque group as they process the death by suicide of one of their own.
Out Sep. 1
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
The gentrification of a Brooklyn neighbourhood is even more nefarious than it seems in Alyssa Cole's must-read thriller When No One Is Watching [11]. Romance fans already know Cole is a gifted storyteller, but she can also craft a true edge of your seat mystery. When Sydney Green starts a walking tour of her neighbourhood in hopes of preserving its history she soon discovers that her longtime neighbours may not have left their homes of their own volition.
Out Sep. 1
The Best Part of Us by Sally Cole-Misch
The unifying themes of nature and family are at the heart of The Best Part of Us [12] by Sally Cole-Misch. It's been years since Beth enjoyed an idyllic summer at the Canadian lake her family journeyed to every year when she was a child. Now her grandfather is calling her back to the island in hopes of preserving it for future generations, but that could mean that Beth will have to leave her carefully constructed urban life in Chicago behind.
Out Sep 8
The Big Door Prize by M.O. Walsh
The people in a small Louisiana town must reckon with the paths their lives have taken in M.O. Walsh's modern parable The Big Door Prize [13]. Through the science of DNA, a machine installed in the local grocery store tells the residents their true destiny, but knowing what they could be is both a blessing and a curse as the townspeople embark on new beginnings.
Out Sep. 8
For the Best by Vanessa Lillie
A woman's perfect life is shattered when her wallet is found beside the body of a dead man in Vanessa Lillie's For the Best [14]. Jules is sure she's innocent, but since she was drunk when the incident occurred she can't clear her name without diving deep into the case and facing her demons in the process.
Out Sep. 8
One by One by Ruth Ware
Ruth Ware's latest twisty locked room mystery, One by One [15], is set at a posh resort in the French Alps. This seemingly idyllic setting quickly turns into a nightmare when a group of tech company employees are snowed in with nothing to do but air their many grievances.
Out Sep. 8
Black Fatigue by Mary-Frances Winters
Mary-Frances Winters's Black Fatigue [16] is one of 2020's most essential books. Winters's work as a diversity and inclusion leader informs this exploration of the toll that systemic racism takes on Black people every single day, and the need for activism that leads to meaningful, radical change.
Out Sep. 15
The Forgotten Kingdom by Signe Pike
The Forgotten Kingdom [17] by Signe Pike is the second book in The Lost Queen trilogy. This engrossing historical fantasy series picks up in AD 573 with Languoreth and her family strewn across Scotland in the wake of a war that will leave their entire way of life changed.
Out Sep. 15
Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ayad Akhtar's Homeland Elegies [18] tells a uniquely American story grounded in this moment in history. Blending together fact and fiction, the story follows a father and son in post-9/11 America as they deal with the fear and uncertainty that is ingrained in their immigrant experience.
Out Sep. 15
K-Pop Confidential by Stephan Lee
Stephan Lee's K-Pop Confidential [19] delves deep into the fandom surrounding K-pop music. Told through the eyes of Candace, a teen who enters a contest that could make her one of the genre's newest stars, this delightful YA novel has it all: romance, a girl following her dreams of stardom, and plenty of tabloid-worthy scandals.
Out Sep. 15
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
Private Detective Cormoran Strike returns in Robert Galbraith's (J.K. Rowling) latest novel Troubled Blood [20]. This time around Strike and Robin Ellacott take on a decades old case that could prove to be deadly.
Out Sep. 15
And Now She's Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall
Anyone missing Killing Eve [21] needs Rachel Howzell Hall's clever And Now She's Gone [22] in their lives. When Isabel Lincoln disappears it's up to Grayson Sykes to find her, but she soon begins to wonder if Isabel wants to be found at all. What appears to be a missing persons case is so much more, it's a story of survival, secrets, and the lengths a person will go to in the name of self-preservation.
Out Sep. 22
Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds
Early Departures [23] by Justin A. Reynolds is a powerful story of friendship and second chances. Thanks to a new technology that allows people to come back to life for a short time, Jamal has a second chance to connect with his best friend Q — but that's only if Jamal can find a way to forgive Q for the role he believes his pal played in the death of his parents.
Out Sep. 22
A Most English Princess by Clare McHugh
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's story is a familiar one, but their children's lives are perfect material for historical fiction. No one knows that better than Clare McHugh whose A Most English Princess [24] allows Victoria's eldest daughter Princess Vicky to step into the spotlight as she marries Prince Frederick, heir to Prussia, in this dazzling and heartbreaking royal tale.
Out Sep. 22
Well Played by Jen DeLuca
There's no sophomore slump for Jen DeLuca. The author follows up her charming rom-com Well Met with a companion novel ,Well Played [25], that's every bit as much fun as its predecessor. This time around serving wench Stacey is bitten by the Renaissance Faire love bug when she begins exchanging texts with a mystery man whose identity she only thinks she knows.
Out Sep. 22
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Ever wished Hogwarts would just embrace the dark arts? Then A Deadly Education [26] by Naomi Novik is the book you've been waiting for. Set at a school of dark magic, the story follows a young sorceress who is destined to become the ultimate wicked witch, but luckily for humanity, she has no time for destiny's meddling.
Out Sep. 29
Just Like You by Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby's Just Like You [27] is a story about starting over. At 41, Lucy is newly divorced and looking to start her life anew when she meets and falls for 22-year-old Joseph. On paper, they absolutely shouldn't work, but this bighearted book is all about the beautiful unpredictability of love.
Out Sep. 29
The Return by Nicholas Sparks
Bestselling author Nicholas Sparks serves up cathartic tears with his latest novel The Return [28]. This story of a soldier recovering in his hometown and forming connections with two women carrying secrets of their own is sure to be one of the fall's most talked about reads.
Out Sep. 29
Swimming Lessons by Lili Reinhart
Riverdale [29] star Lili Reinhart's debut collection of poems Swimming Lessons [30] is a provocative dive into the female experience. Her poems tackle the ephemeral nature of fame, the rush that accompanies first love, and the daily struggle of dealing with anxiety and depression. Honest and raw, Reinhart's collection shouldn't be missed.
Sep. 29