New Books To Read in October

A one-of-a-kind novel that grapples with the supernatural mysteries of life, death, and human connection — an unprecedented collaboration between the globally bestselling author of love stories like The Notebook and the renowned writer and director of blockbuster thrillers like The Sixth Sense.

Charlie Mackesy’s four unlikely friends are wandering through the wilds again. They’re not sure what they are looking for. They do know that life can be difficult, but that they love each other, and cake is often the answer. When the dark clouds come, can the boy remember what he needs to get through the storm?

From the bestselling author of Too Big to Fail, “the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis” (The Atlantic Monthly), comes a spellbinding narrative of the most infamous stock market crash in history. With the depth of a classic history and the drama of a thriller, 1929 unravels the greed, blind optimism, and human folly that led to an era-defining collapse — one with ripple effects that still shape our society today.

From the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Book of Longings: An intimate work on the mysteries, frustrations, and triumphs of being a writer, and an instructive guide to awakening the soul.

Is your child full of creativity but intimidated by the blank page? Do they need a little encouragement to dive into storytelling? With more than 150 writing prompts spanning five exciting genres — fiction, mystery, memoir, fantasy, and sci-fi — 5-Minute Writing Prompts for Kids is perfect for readers ages 8 – 12 to explore the world of words through their own imagination.

A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Megha Majumdar’s electrifying new novel, following her acclaimed New York Times bestseller A Burning — longlisted for the National Book Award — is set in a near-future Kolkata, India, ravaged by climate change and food scarcity, in which two families seeking to protect their children must battle each other. A piercing and propulsive tour de force.

Ms. Rachel makes bedtime the best time! Full of songs and tips, this calming and gentle story helps littles and their grown-ups create and follow a nighttime routine that everyone will love. Includes a tear-out poster with Ms. Rachel’s special bedtime-routine checklist!

A profound and unparalleled literary voice, Zadie Smith returns with a resounding collection of essays. In this eagerly awaited new collection, Smith brings her unique skills as an essayist to bear on a range of subjects that have captured her attention in recent years. Throughout this thrilling collection, Smith shows us once again her unrivalled ability to think through critically and humanely some of the most urgent preoccupations and tendencies of our troubled times.

A bold novel about a Black painter caught up in the currents of art, faith, and desire. Minor Black Figures is a vividly etched portrait, both sweeping and tender, of friendship, creativity, belief, and the deep connections among them.

The breathtaking conclusion to Philip Pullman’s Book of Dust! This landmark trilogy, set in the world readers first glimpsed in The Golden Compass, continues the story of Lyra: “One of fantasy’s most indelible heroines” (The New York Times Magazine). The extraordinary novels of The Book of Dust speak powerfully to today’s readers and will take their place alongside the forever-favorites of His Dark Materials.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jan Karon gives her beloved fans what they want for Christmas: A new Mitford novel. Poignant, hilarious, and life-affirming, My Beloved sets a generous table for millions of readers who love these characters like family. With Karon’s signature humanity shining through on every page, this is a season of life in Mitford you won’t want to miss.

In this much-anticipated final installment in the Stoic Virtues series, Ryan Holiday makes the case for the virtue on which all other virtues depend. Drawing on fascinating stories of the ancient and modern figures alike, Holiday teaches us how to listen more than we talk, to think with nuance, to ruthlessly question our own beliefs, and to develop a method of self-education. An absence of curiosity and prudence is a catastrophe for all of us, argues Holiday. This incredibly timely book both diagnoses the greatest problem of our current moment and offers solutions for the way forward. Wisdom is work — but it’s worth it.

A delayed ferryboat brings people together in the best of ways during the holiday season in this enchanting Christmas novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Milwaukee 1932. With the Great Depression going full blast, Hicks McTaggart, a onetime strikebreaker turned private eye, thinks he’s found job security until he gets sent out on what should be a routine case, locating and bringing back the heiress of a Wisconsin cheese fortune who’s taken a mind to go wandering. By the time Hicks catches up with her he will find himself also entangled with Nazis, Soviet agents, British counterspies, swing musicians, practitioners of the paranormal, outlaw motorcyclists, and the troubles that come with each of them, none of which Hicks is qualified, forget about being paid, to deal with.

When a Native teenager vanishes from her small town — a place with dark ties to an elite historical society — archaeologist Syd Walker is called to investigate … from bestselling author Vanessa Lillie.

In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves — and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface — in the first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance series.

From the New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-winning actor, and charismatically carnivorous woodworker Nick Offerman, an illustrated woodworking guide with projects for the whole family.

Seductive magic. Deadly betrayal. Don’t miss the explosive finale of the dark, romantic fantasy of the New York Times bestselling House of Marionne series. In a world where the line between proper and forbidden magic blurs, Quell and Jordan, along with two unlikely allies, must navigate a treacherous path where freedom hangs by a thread. Can love tip the scales toward freedom? Or will rivalries and deadly betrayals shatter their hearts and destroy the world they once knew?

Joanne Molinaro, author of the New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award-winning Korean Vegan Cookbook, returns with fresh new dishes with Korean twists. As Joanne likes to say, she loves to “veganize” Korean cuisine and “Koreanize” everything else. This book is a tribute to all the culinary inspirations that have shaped her cooking over the years and the incredible flavors they have created. With her stunning signature photography and tips for building a Korean pantry, Joanne celebrates the magical connections between family, home, and food.

The road to redemption is far from smooth as ice in this sweeping romance between a figure skater and hockey player from the USA Today bestselling author of Collide.

There is a secret world of dragons that lurks at the edges of our own. But dragons also live among us. These Slumberers have been human for so long they have forgotten their true selves — until something awakens the dragon within. An astonishing new fantasy series takes flight in this soaring, action-packed adventure filled with twists and surprises. The secret world of dragons is waiting for you!

Hard to figure how so much awful horror could’ve started out with just them two horses and not a one yet named … From the bestselling author of House of Leaves comes a magisterial novel about two friends determined to rescue a pair of horses set for slaughter.

From the founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills — an immigrant who built a global cosmetics brand from nothing — an inspiring memoir about believing in yourself and chasing what brings you joy. Anastasia’s story serves as a powerful reminder that you can do anything you put your mind to so long as you are passionate and determined. As she says, “It’s the love and effort we put into our pursuits and relationships that truly define our success.”

Clay Edison has left behind the Alameda County coroner’s office to strike out on his own as a private investigator. He’s perfectly happy working low-stakes embezzlement cases — that is, until PI Regina Klein calls him with a mystery only he can solve. The son of a wealthy couple has washed up dead on the shores of San Francisco Bay with drugs in his system and a head injury. The police are calling it an accident. But the parents are adamant something’s not right — and as Clay digs deeper, he uncovers a horrifying tangle of betrayal and lies.

In her most personal book yet, the iconic star of the hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and the #1 bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up opens up about the cultural traditions that have inspired her philosophy — and can make our lives better today.

A stunning narrative from one of the most powerful young writers at work today, and the director of the Oscar®-nominated documentary, Sugarcane, We Survived the Night interweaves oral history with hard-hitting journalism and a deeply personal father-son journey into a searing portrait of Indigenous survival, love, and resurgence.

Squid Game meets Dear Justyce in an explosive young adult novel about a teenage girl on death row who competes on a reality show in hopes of winning her freedom.

Running a bakery is no cakewalk for a tiny dragon with a big sweet tooth! Tummy rumbles turn to belly laughs in this feel-good picture book from the bestselling author and illustrator of The Bakery Dragon.

Hong Kong, 1953: In a remote mansion, witnesses insist a massacre took place. The police see nothing but pristine rooms and declare it a collective hallucination. Until decades later, when one witness returns … from the Edgar®-nominated author The Last Russian Doll.

What ingredients do you need to cure a broken heart? This soul-nourishing comfort read is for anyone who has loved and lost — and wants to love again. Based on the author’s viral heartbreak story, this is a charming novel (with recipes) about a woman who uses the power of a warm meal to bring together the fellow lonely hearts in this small suburb in Tokyo.

One spark of love can change everything. The social media sensation known for his viral “random acts of kindness” videos invites you to discover a bigger, more meaningful existence, one act of generosity at a time.

From comedian, Emmy-nominated writer and producer, and former Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr., an unforgettable, laugh-out-loud funny memoir revealing that sometimes the best advice comes from the most surprising teachers.

The award-winning author of The Resisters returns with an engrossing, blisteringly funny-sad autobiographical novel tracing a tumultuous mother-daughter relationship. Spanning continents, generations, and cultures, Bad Bad Girl is a novel only Gish Jen could have written: Genre-bending, courageous, wise, and as immensely incisive as it is compassionate.

An almost-mage discovers friendship — and maybe something more — in the unlikeliest of places in this delightfully charming novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes.

From the bestselling author of the Japanese sensation The Full Moon Coffee Shop, this charming and heartfelt novel showcases the magic of Christmas as lost souls find themselves — with a little help from an enchanted café run by cats.

Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love — the Greek tale of Hades and Persephone gets a romantic modern update in the gorgeously illustrated, Eisner Award-winning Lore Olympus series, including a brand new bonus short story!

From one of the definitive journalists of this era — acclaimed historian, Pulitzer finalist, staff writer at The New Yorker, and dean of Columbia Journalism School — comes a kaleidoscopic, real-time portrait of our last turbulent decade. Through a stunning melange of narrative journalism, criticism, and penetrating profiles, Cobb captures the crises, characters, movements, and art of an era — and helps readers understand what might be coming next.

What happens when you’re thrown into a fictional world … not as the main character, but as the main character’s best friend? This Korean manhwa puts a twist on romance and proves that falling in love is more than just a trope.

Journey to a magic hotel in the Swiss Alps, where two lost souls living in different centuries meet and discover if a second chance awaits them behind its doors.

A “visionary” (The Guardian) exploration of freedom — what it is, how it’s been misunderstood, and why it’s our only chance for survival — by the acclaimed Yale historian and author of On Tyranny.

A down-on-her-luck woman makes a deal with a crafty demon to win back her ex-girlfriend after a proposal gone awry, only to discover the girl of her dreams might be the devil she knows, from nationally bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur.

From the founder of Wikipedia, a sweeping reflection on the global crisis of credibility and knowledge, revealing “the rules of trust” that transformed Wikipedia from a scrappy experiment into a global utility used by billions of people — and how those rules can help others build things that last.

A beloved Japanese bestseller, Menu of Happiness is for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and asks the question: What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time? The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve food — it recreates forgotten recipes, helping its patrons to revisit memories lost to time. Each dish is a portal to the past, serving not just sustenance but solace and reconnection through the miracle of delicious food.

It’s Christmas Eve, and Bluey and Bingo are sleeping in their beds when they’re suddenly woken up by a noise outside. What could it be? Experience the magic of Christmas Eve with Bluey and the Heeler family in this picture book that’s perfect for fans of the hit animated series Bluey, as seen on Disney+!