Cooler weather, big comfy sweaters and blankets, mugs of hot tea or chocolate and the scent of apples drifting in the air—yes, it’s time for fall! There are many ways to celebrate the arrival of fall, but our favorite is to curl up with a good book. Thankfully, there are plenty of new releases for you to cozy up with this season. Read on to discover our top picks for fall reading, and why they make the perfect read!
This list got pretty long, so if you want to skip ahead you can click for Fiction, or for Nonfiction or for Teen!
Fiction
Let’s start with some fantastic fiction reads—books that will make you light a candle and drink some cider.
The Clockmaker’s Daughter – Kate Morton
Kate Morton is the master of historical fiction, and this book proves her exceptional skills. Grab your blanket and descend into the summer of 1862. Discover a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe as they descend upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared, a priceless heirloom is missing and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins. There’s nothing better than a thrilling historical mystery to put you in the fall mood! This book will be on shelves October 9.
The Witch Elm – Tana French
Scary, spellbinding books are a perfect way to kick off fall. Get cozy and keep the lights on as you read this new novel that turns a crime story inside out. Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who has dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life—he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, and beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family’s ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden—and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed. This scary book will be on shelves October 9, just in time so you can finish before Halloween!
Bridge of Clay – Markus Zusak
Markus Zusak, bestselling author of The Book Thief, is back after a 13-year break with an incredible, sweeping family saga. This is the kind of emotional, moving book you find yourself reading and re-reading as the leaves fall around you. Zusak describes the breathtaking story of the five Dunbar brothers, who are beholden to only themselves after the death of their mother and abandonment by their father. The brothers are living—fighting, loving and grieving—in the perfect chaos of a house without grown-ups. Then, the father who left them walks right back in with a surprising request: Who will build a bridge with him? It is Clay, a boy tormented by a long-buried secret, who accepts. But why is Clay so broken? And why must he fulfill this extraordinary challenge? Written in Markus Zusak’s distinctive style, this book will hit shelves on October 9.
Unsheltered – Barbara Kingsolver
Unsheltered is the compulsively readable story of two families, in two centuries, who live at the corner of Sixth and Plum in Vineland, New Jersey, navigating what seems to be the end of the world as they know it. With history as their tantalizing canvas, these characters paint a startlingly relevant portrait of life in precarious times when the foundations of the past have failed to prepare us for the future. There’s nothing cozier than curling up with a book that draws you in and doesn’t let you put it down, and this is that book. It will be available October 16.
The Feral Detective – Jonathan Lethem
Want the suspense without the spooky? Check out Jonathan Lethem’s first detective novel since Motherless Brooklyn. In this book, Phoebe Siegler meets Charles Heist in a shabby trailer on the eastern edge of Los Angeles. She’s looking for her friend’s missing daughter, Arabella, and hires Heist to help. A laconic loner who keeps his pet opossum in a desk drawer, Heist intrigues the sarcastic and garrulous Phoebe, and he reluctantly agrees to help. The unlikely pair navigate the enclaves of desert-dwelling vagabonds and find that Arabella is in serious trouble—caught in the middle of a violent standoff that only Heist, mysteriously, can end. Phoebe’s trip to the desert was always going to be strange, but it was never supposed to be dangerous. This thrilling novel will hit shelves on November 6, so save it for your flight to visit the family at Thanksgiving or devour it (and a pumpkin scone) at your favorite café.
Nonfiction
Not a fan of fiction? No problem! There are plenty of wonderful nonfiction books to cozy up to on chilly fall days.
Whiskey in a Teacup – Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon’s grandmother Dorothea always said that a combination of beauty and strength made southern women “whiskey in a teacup.” We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we’re strong and fiery. Reese’s Southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of Southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties and plenty of Dorothea’s fried chicken. It’s reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home and makes holidays special for her kids—not to mention how she talks, dances and does her hair. Reese loves sharing Dorothea’s most delicious recipes as well as her favorite Southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks. Nothing could be cozier than this book about Southern traditions and family. It’s out now!
Dare to Lead – Brené Brown
In her #1 New York Times bestsellers, Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.
Leadership is not about titles, status and wielding power. A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas and has the courage to develop that potential.
When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don’t see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it with others. We don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when it’s necessary to do good work. In this new book, Brown uses research, stories and examples to answer how to cultivate leadership in the no-BS style that millions of readers have come to expect and love. This book is for anyone who wants to step up and into brave leadership. This perfect inspiring fall read is due out on October 9.
The Laws of Human Nature – Robert Greene
If you’re looking to improve yourself this fall, you should look into The Laws of Human Nature. Robert Greene has turned to the most important subject of all—understanding people’s drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves. We are social animals. Our very lives depend on our relationships with people. Knowing why people do what they do is the most important tool we can possess, without which our other talents can only take us so far. Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control, how to develop the empathy that leads to insight, how to look behind people’s masks and how to resist conformity to develop your singular sense of purpose. Whether at work, in relationships or in shaping the world around you, The Laws of Human Nature offers brilliant tactics for success, self-improvement and self-defense. This book will make for a great outdoor read on a chilly day. Check it out on October 23!
Cook Like a Pro – Ina Garten
In her new cookbook, Cook Like a Pro, Ina Garten shares a brand-new collection of recipes, tips and techniques so readers can cook with confidence no matter how much experience they have in the kitchen. As America’s most trusted and beloved cookbook author, Ina Garten—the Barefoot Contessa—has taught millions of people how to cook. A home cook at heart, Ina knows that cooking and entertaining can be difficult, so to make her recipes simple and streamlined, she tests and retests each recipe until it’s as straightforward and delicious as possible. In Cook Like a Pro, Ina shares some of her most irresistible recipes and very best “pro tips,” from the secret to making her custardy, slow-cooked Truffled Scrambled Eggs to the key to hosting like a pro! You’ll find dozens of other great ideas to boost your cooking and entertaining skills. Beginner and advanced cooks alike will love Ina’s delectable recipes, and if you have questions along the way, don’t worry—Ina’s practical cooking advice talks you through every detail, as though she were right there by your side. This cozy cookbook is out October 23!
The Minimalist Home – Joshua Becker
Looking to spruce up your home in time for the holidays? Wanting a change and the pumpkin spice candle just isn’t cutting it? Check out The Minimalist Home. One of today’s most influential minimalist advocates takes us on a decluttering tour of our own houses and apartments, showing us how to decide what to get rid of and what to keep. He both offers practical guidelines for simplifying our lifestyle at home and addresses underlying issues that contribute to over-accumulation in the first place. The purpose is not just to create a more inviting living space. It’s also to turn our life’s HQ—our home—into a launching pad for a more fulfilling and productive life in the world. Available December 18.
Teen
Feel like something a little more teen or in-between? Check out this fantastic list of cozy upcoming YA releases!
A Map of Days – Ransom Riggs
The #1 bestselling Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series returns with a thrilling new story arc set in America. Having defeated the monstrous threat that nearly destroyed the peculiar world, Jacob Portman is back where his story began, in Florida. Except now Miss Peregrine, Emma and their peculiar friends are with him and are doing their best to blend in. But carefree days of beach visits and normalling lessons are soon interrupted by a discovery—a subterranean bunker that belonged to Jacob’s grandfather, Abe. Clues to Abe’s double-life as a peculiar operative start to emerge, and Jacob begins to learn about the dangerous legacy he has inherited—truths that were part of him long before he walked into Miss Peregrine’s time loop. Now, the stakes are higher than ever as Jacob and his friends are thrust into the untamed landscape of American peculiardom—a world with few ymbrynes, or rules—that none of them understand. New wonders, and dangers, await in this brilliant next chapter for Miss Peregrine’s peculiar children. Their story is again illustrated throughout by haunting vintage photographs, but with a striking addition for this all-new, multi-era American adventure—full color. This book hits shelves October 2.
Dry – Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman
When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harrowing story of survival from New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman and his son, Jarrod Shusterman. The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers. Until the taps run dry. Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbors and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive. This exciting read is due out October 2!
A Very Large Expanse of Sea – Tahereh Mafi
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary YA novel about fear, first love and the devastating impact of prejudice. The story takes place in 2002, a year after 9/11, and Shirin has just started at yet another new high school. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments–even the physical violence she endures as a result of her race, her religion and the hijab she wears every day. Shirin drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother. But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know her. It terrifies her–they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up against the world for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down. You’ll love this cozy romantic read that also manages to address some pretty intense issues, which is due out October 16.
The Light Between Worlds – Laura Weymouth
Six years ago, Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell were swept from war-torn England and into a woodland fantasy kingdom. Now back in the real world, eldest sister Philippa is relieved, but Evelyn is grieving for the magical place she called home. When she goes missing, Philippa must confront both the truth of what happened to them and the lengths her little sister was willing to go for a chance to return to the kingdom of her heart. This teen read is well worth the weekend you will spend by the fireplace, and it’s out on October 23.
Queen of Air and Darkness – Cassandra Clare
Dark secrets and forbidden love threaten the very survival of the Shadowhunters in Cassandra Clare’s Queen of Air and Darkness, the final novel in the New York Times bestselling The Dark Artifices trilogy. Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love. Curl up with this book on December 4.
What fall read are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!