10 books hot off the press in October

Published by Penguin

From one of the most well-known voices in literary fiction comes a collection of essays about subjects that Smith has found herself pondering over the last couple of years. If one essay is dedicated to writers Joan Didion and Hilary Mantel, another is about the governments in the UK and USA. The essays seem to date back to 2019 and exemplify Smith’s views on the world—left-wing, socialist, multicultural—and they are, above all, an examination of humanity. Releases October 30

Published by Penguin 

A queer coming-of-age novel, Half Light is told from the alternating points of view of Pawan and Neville, two protagonists from very different socio-economic backgrounds. The two meet when Neville is stranded with his family at the Darjeeling hotel where Pawan works. They quickly part ways, so don’t expect a romance novel. Instead, what you get is a thoughtful, tender picture of their inner lives set against the backdrop of their sexuality and its place in their world. Releases October 31

Published by Penguin

This National Book Award finalist is the one to watch. Author Megha Majumdar crafts a tale set in Kolkata of the near future, in an India that’s ravaged by food shortages and global warming. Here’s another story told from two perspectives—the first through a family planning to immigrate to USA using their “climate” visas, and the other of a family of a thief who steals the visas and documents from the former’s home. This 224-page book manages to exude hope, despair, and love with each page. Releases October 31

Published by MCD Books

Known for his 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Orphan Master’s Son, Adam Johnson is back with The Wayfinder. The novel is set on a remote Polynesian island, where a young girl, Kōrero, is chosen to save her people—yes, sounds like Moana. The novel combines the sweeping history of the Tongan people with a narrative about self-discovery and human resilience. A 768-page saga, this is the one to hunker down with this month. Released October 14

Published by Berkley

Just in time for spooky season, from the queen of STEM romances comes Mate, a companion novel to Ali Hazelwood’s Bride. A human hybrid and an alpha werewolf mate to protect said hybrid human from enemies galore. It has all the tropes—grumpy x sunshine, age gap, forced proximity, and of course, an alpha hero. Released October 7

Published by Simon & Schuster

A memoir by a New Yorker journalist is sure to generate buzz, but this one by Susan Orlean is extra special for all the writers out there. The memoir takes readers into her prolific career: a meeting with a woman who had 27 tigers, the making of Orlean’s legendary profile ‘The American Man Age Ten’ and snippets from her days working with Robert Gottlieb and Tina Brown. Writers, there’s even some writing advice for you between the pages. Released October 14

Published by Grand Central Publishing

Army combat surgeon Maggie McCabe loses her medical license after a series of tragedies, but a former colleague throws her a lifeline and, lo behold, Maggie becomes doctor to the super-elite—clients who wish to stay anonymous. When one of these filthy-rich clients disappears, threats and chaos ensue in this suspense thriller by actor, entrepreneur and now-writer Reese Witherspoon and Netflix-favourite author Harlan Coben. If there’s one book that’s likely to be adapted for TV, it’s this. Released October 14

Published by Tor Books

Another book that’s catching the spirit of the season, this young-adult horror novel is by Olivie Blake, author of popular fantasy series The Atlas Six. If a sorority setting isn’t enough to send chills down your back, add a new recruit and a new academic liaison to the mix, and you have a satirical work of fiction with a tinge of horror thrown in—bonus points if you can catch a hint in the title. Releases October 21

Published by Atria Books

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai writes a memoir 13 years after her debut novel, I am Malala. Her latest is about her life after being thrust into the spotlight at age 15 and her struggle to make her way in an unfamiliar world. It’s about her years at Oxford University, receiving death threats and getting photographed in the Daily Mail while doing so. It’s an attempt by Malala to rid herself of the image of sainthood bestowed upon her at such an early age. Releases October 21

Published by Atlantic Monthly Press

A book of words about words for those who love words—Stefan Fatsis’s non-fiction book takes readers through the history of the dictionary, drawing from his experiences as a lexicographer-in-training at Merriam-Webster, and explains just how precise a definition needs to be to make it to the dictionary. He even visits the biggest private dictionary collection in Greenwich, comprising over 20,000 books—just the thought of the smell in that room is enough to make us giddy. If you like this, another unputdownable novel based on how the Oxford English Dictionary came together is Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, a must for your TBR. Released October 14