15 New Fall Books You Won’t Be Able to Put Down

What it’s about: Goodreads says, “a multi-narrative novel brimming with levity and candor, The Fortunes of Jaded Women is about mourning, meddling, celebrating, and healing together as a family. It shows how Vietnamese women emerge victorious, even if the world is against them.” The novel follows multiple generations of a Vietnamese family with a complicated history who are reunited by a prophecy: this year, the family will witness a marriage, a funeral, and the birth of a son.

What it’s about: This novel follows aspiring lifestyle influencer Dimple Pennington who feels stuck and alone. A “dramatic event” brings her and her half-siblings back together to reconnect with their absentee father. Amazon says, “from an author with ‘a flair for storytelling that appears effortlessly authentic’ (Time), People Person is a vibrant and charming celebration of discovering family as an adult.”

What it’s about: The Winners is the final book in the bestselling Beartown series (inspiration for the HBO series of the same name), which is about a small hockey town and the people who live in it. Amazon’s description reads, “As it beautifully captures all the complexities of daily life and explores questions of friendship, loyalty, loss, and identity, this emotion-packed novel asks us to reconsider what it means to win, what it means to lose, and what it means to forgive.”

What it’s about: When you see Celeste Ng wrote it, you already know this novel is going to be captivating. Goodreads says, “Our Missing Hearts is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It’s a story about the power—and limitations—of art to create change, the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and how any of us can survive a broken world with our hearts intact.”

What it’s about: Classic literature and history lovers might find this book intriguing—it has The Scarlet Letter author Nathaniel Hawthorne as one of the main characters and touches upon the witchcraft trials in Salem and the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England. Goodreads describes it as “a vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne, the tragic heroine of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, and a journey into the enduring legacy of New England’s witchcraft trials.”

What it’s about: This novel follows two women—Olivia, a woman with a teenage son who is forced to start over in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown and Lily, a high school senior who is new in town and hoping for a fresh start. Lily falls in love with Olivia’s son, Asher, but one day she is found dead and Asher is seen as a potential suspect. You can guess that more mystery and twists and turns unfold. Goodreads describes, “Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.”

What it’s about: Goodreads’ description says, “The ‘best short story writer in English’ (Time) is back with a masterful collection that explores ideas of power, ethics, and justice, and cuts to the very heart of what it means to live in community with our fellow humans. With his trademark prose—wickedly funny, unsentimental, and perfectly tuned—Saunders continues to challenge and surprise: here is a collection of prismatic, deeply resonant stories that encompass joy and despair, oppression and revolution, bizarre fantasy and brutal reality.”

Publication date: Oct. 18

What it’s about: Those who have read Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield might find this story familiar—it’s a retelling of the classic English Victorian novel but set in the contemporary American South. Goodreads says, “Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.”

Publication date: Oct. 18

What it’s about: Another addition to Elizabeth Strout’s Lucy Barton series, this novel finds the heroine stuck with her ex-husband William in a small town in Maine during the pandemic lockdown. Goodreads describes it as, “Rich with empathy and emotion, Lucy by the Sea vividly captures the fear and struggles that come with isolation, as well as the hope, peace, and possibilities that those long, quiet days can inspire. At the heart of this story are the deep human connections that unite us even when we’re apart—the pain of a beloved daughter’s suffering, the emptiness that comes from the death of a loved one, the promise of a new friendship, and the comfort of an old, enduring love.”

What it’s about: This novel follows two teenage misfits, Frankie and Zeke, who create an unsigned poster that sparks a lot of interest, intrigue, panic, and rumors in their small town and beyond. Fast-forward to 20 years later when a journalist writing about the panic tries to interview Frankie, now a famous author, and seemingly upending her entire life. Goodreads writes, “A bold coming-of-age story, written with Kevin Wilson’s trademark wit and blazing prose, Now Is Not The Time to Panic is a nuanced exploration of young love, identity, and the power of art. It’s also about the secrets that haunt us—and, ultimately, what the truth will set free.”

Publication date: Nov. 8

What it’s about: Here’s another one for history buffs—this novel is set in Renaissance Italy and follows the young duchess Lucrezia de Medici. When her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to a powerful duke, Lucrezia is made to marry the duke and is thrust into a troubled court. This is how Goodreads describes the novel: “Full of the drama and verve with which she illuminated the Shakespearean canvas of Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life, and offers an unforgettable portrait of a resilient young woman’s battle for her very survival.”

What it’s about: The latest from Cormac McCarthy is part of a two-volume series that follows a salvage diver who goes to a crash site only to realize that the pilot’s flight bag, the plane’ black box, and the tenth passenger are missing. As the diver gets caught up in the mystery, his past haunts him. Goodreads’ description reads, “Traversing the American South, from the garrulous barrooms of New Orleans to an abandoned oil rig off the Florida coast, The Passenger is a breathtaking novel of morality and science, the legacy of sin, and the madness that is human consciousness.”

Publication date: Oct. 25

What it’s about: What happens when an assassin retires? This book looks at just that, following four friends—Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie, who have worked for an elite network of assassins for 40 years. The foursome are sent on an all-expenses paid trip for their retirement, but they soon realize that they’re being marked for death by their own. Now it’s up to them to outsmart their organization and survive.

What it’s about: In his honest memoir, Friends star Matthew Perry takes readers behind the scenes of the popular sitcom and opens up about his private struggles with addiction. Amazon says: “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.”

Publication date: Nov. 1

What it’s about: In her follow-up to the bestselling memoir, Becoming, former First Lady Michelle Obama once again shares her wisdom. Goodreads says, “Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress.”

Publication date: Nov. 15