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Readers' 15 Most Anticipated September Books
At the beginning of each calendar month, Goodreads’ crack editorial squad assembles a list of the hottest and most popular new books hitting shelves, actual and virtual. The list is generated by evaluating readers’ early reviews and tracking which titles are being most added to Want to Read shelves by Goodreads regulars.
Each month’s curated preview features new books from across the genre spectrum: contemporary fiction, historical fiction, mysteries and thrillers, sci-fi and fantasy, romance, horror, young adult, nonfiction, and more. Think of it as a literary smorgasbord. Check out whatever looks delicious.
New in September: Irish author Sally Rooney follows two grieving brothers in Dublin with Intermezzo. Matt Haig presents a Mediterranean island adventure with The Life Impossible. And debut novelist Cebo Campbell delivers some near-future speculative fiction in Sky Full of Elephants.
Also on tap this month: romantic adventures in Vietnam, Southern Gothic horror in Georgia, and a grim storytelling thought experiment at 30,000 feet.
Add the books that catch your eye to your Want to Read shelf, and let us know what you're reading and recommending in the comments section.
In this sequel to his much admired 2020 novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, author T.J. Klune returns readers to the mysterious orphanage on Marsyas Island. Arthur Parnassus has built a loving home on the island for his various charges, including six magical children. Also among the island’s residents: a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian, and Arthur’s partner Linus Baker, former caseworker with the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Klune’s affectionate and queer-friendly approach to fantasy has earned him a loyal readership.
This latest family drama from London author Coco Mellors (Cleopatra and Frankenstein) follows three estranged sisters who convene in New York City to deal with some childhood stuff, both literally and figuratively. Bonnie is a former boxer. Avery is a lawyer and recovering addict. Young Lucky models in Paris. Also in the mix: a fourth sister whose tragic and sudden death is still haunting the family. Blue Sisters has already been published in the U.K. to ecstatic reviews.
British author and journalist Matt Haig has a rich back catalog of innovative fiction for adults and kids both, but his readership went supernova in 2020 with The Midnight Library. Haig’s latest contemporary fantasy, The Life Impossible, is set in that liminal space between reality and whatever it is that comes next. When retired math teacher Grace Winters inherits a derelict house in Ibiza, she discovers that magic is not only real, it’s everywhere.
The latest novel from acclaimed Irish author Sally Rooney (Normal People) introduces Peter and Ivan Koubek, two bereaved brothers who reunite after their father’s death. Peter is a successful Dublin lawyer. Introverted Ivan is a competitive chess player. Amid the grinding grief, the brothers discover new possibilities for themselves and the women they love. Rooney is one of our great chroniclers of 21st-century living, and Intermezzo explores the slippery bits between grief, family, and desire.
How’s this for a story premise? On a random domestic flight, a mysterious passenger later known as the Death Lady causes everyone on the plane to learn exactly when and how they’re going to die. And for six passengers, that day isn’t too far off. The inimitable Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies) has a light touch with heavy themes, and here she provides a kind of narrative thought experiment for the adventurous reader: If you were on that plane, would you live your life any differently?
Estranged siblings Nora and Dan have feelings about their wealthy and distant father. Complicated feelings. But when Dad falls to his death from a cliffside cottage, the siblings team up to investigate. Authorities have ruled the incident an “accidental death,” but the details aren’t adding up—especially when an old family secret is revealed. Author Laura Dave specializes in the intersection of family drama and anxious suspense; her 2021 novel, The Last Thing He Told Me, won the 2021 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery & Thriller.
Professional investigator Steve Wheeler is retired, mostly. But his daughter-in-law Amy is still in the game, working private security for a famous author on a remote island paradise. When Amy encounters a dead body and a bag of money, she does the sensible thing and calls her father-in-law. From the author of the popular Thursday Murder Club cozy series, We Solve Murders follows the globe-trotting adventures of this duo as they square off against an ingenious killer.
In one of the year’s most interesting story premises, author and poet Cebo Campbell imagines a different kind of post-racial America. After a strange turn of events, a very specific subset of citizens is removed from the societal equation entirely. In the aftermath, a Howard University professor and his teenage daughter journey to the Kingdom of Alabama. Intriguing, isn’t it? Author Campbell brings humor and heart to this bold adventure in thoughtful speculative fiction.
Professional genre alchemist Allison Saft—author of 2022’s A Far Wilder Magic—delivers an exuberant mashup of murder mystery, fantasy adventure, upriver expedition, and sapphic romance. A Dark and Drowning Tide introduces folklorist Lorelei Kaskel and her academic rival, the “insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful” Sylvia von Wolff. Thrown together into (literally) uncharted waters, the two young women must work together to deal with scheming nobles, sleeping dragons, dangerous shape-shifters, and inconvenient feelings.
Sloane Parker is having a rough time of late, stuck in a bad marriage and a worse job. So when her bestie Naomi suggests a night out with her wild new crowd, Sloane decides to go for it. Consequences ensue. From the mischievous horror aisle, So Thirsty (subtitle: A Vampire Novel) is the new book from Rachel Harrison, author of 2022’s Such Sharp Teeth (subtitle: A Werewolf Novel). We sense a theme emerging. Bonus trivia: Harrison is also author of 2021’s Cackle, which is not subtitled A Witch Novel, but could be.
Author Alexis Henderson (The Year of the Witching) specializes in a deliciously creepy strain of Southern Gothic dark fantasy that combines elements of cosmic horror and traditional mystery-thriller plotting. Her latest foray into dark academia introduces readers to the moss-draped campus of Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in an extradimensional pocket of Savannah, Georgia. New pupil Lennon Carter is learning how to control her dark powers of persuasion—but at what cost?
To claim her inheritance, Ohio poetry professor Evie Lang must sign up for a matchmaking tour of Vietnam, her family’s native home. Half a world away, Vietnamese marketing specialist Adam Quyền is pressured to participate in his sister’s new business endeavor, which happens to be the same matchmaking tour. Fate appears to have plans for Adam and Evie, who have a cute couple-name going, if nothing else. Bonus trivia: Author Nora Nguyen also writes literary fiction under the name Thao Thai (Banyan Moon).
In this sequel to 2021’s popular YA romance Better than the Movies, author Lynn Painter picks up the romantic saga of star-crossed teenage lovers Wes and Liz. Returning readers will be bummed to learn that a sudden tragedy has derailed the first book’s happy ending. Undaunted, Wes undertakes a series of rom-com quests to win himself a Second Chance. The tricky part: They’re both in college now, and Liz has a new guy friend hanging around. Well, we’ll see about that.
Jandy Nelson, acclaimed author of I'll Give You the Sun, returns to her Northern California environs with this lovely YA coming-of-age novel. The setup: Three siblings in California’s wine country are still picking up the pieces, years after their father’s sudden disappearance. So when a mysterious rainbow-haired girl comes into their lives, the siblings are happy to find new reasons to hope. But first they will have to unravel some painful knots in their family’s history. Also, there’s a pretty good chance that the rainbow-haired girl isn’t entirely of this world.
This first installment in a new fantasy trilogy takes an interesting approach to dark academia romance: When her sister is kidnapped, orphaned heiress Kidan Adane infiltrates a dangerous arcane university in which humans and vampires reluctantly coexist. Dating, as you might imagine, is fraught. Kidane must rescue her sister while guarding her own immortal soul from a sinister but seductive vampire. This debut novel from Ethiopian author Tigest Girma is being described as The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House.
Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!
Comments Showing 1-47 of 47 (47 new)
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Law
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Aug 30, 2024 04:24AM
The only book that looks intriguing is Blue Sisters. I'd skip the rest.
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I’ve been looking forward to “When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary” by Alice Hoffman for months! Comes out September 17th.
New YA and middle grade fiction coming out in September by Rick Riordan (more Percy Jackson), Linda Sue Park, Patrick Ness, and Frances Hardinge. I'm also looking forward to Alice Hoffman's newest.
I’m excited to read “What Time Doth the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust?” The long awaited return of Flavia de Luce, one of my favorite historical mysteries! A great series if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend! Happy reading everyone! 😊📚
I already have the Matt Haig one on preorder for my libro fm...I'm psyched for so many of these.
I read the blue sisters. And I highly recommend everyone else does.
I'm looking forward to Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan and Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston, both middle grade fantasy.
What about Alice Coldbreaths A Foolish Flirtation? 16th September
Somewhere Beyond the Sea. I am so glad it's finally coming out. I haven't looked forward to a book as much as this one for a long long time. And I usually read Horror.
Want to read Laura Dare, like her writing and read a few of her books. Read all of Sally Rooney so want to read the new one too, and Matt Haig. Blue sisters is one I’ve been waiting for ever since I read first reviews.
I’m all here for Lynn and her next instalment to Better Than The Movies!! 🍿
IM SOO EXITED FOR “AN ACADEMY FOR LIARS”!!!!
Nothing Like the Movies looks interesting. I'll have to read Better Than the Movies first before I pick up Lynn's newest installment.
Sooo excited for the grand return of Jandy Nelson!
LitFic gets passed over this month. Rachel Kushner and Richard Powers don't rate. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Law wrote: "The only book that looks intriguing is Blue Sisters. I'd skip the rest."Agree. I'm reading a sample of this on my Kindle and enjoying it.
Looking forward to the following:Rachel Harrison's, So Thirsty
Alex Henderson's An Academy for Liars
I've read Rachel Harrison's books -- she is very good.
Smuggler's Love by T.D. Wilson is a fast paced stellar sci-fi adventure that is both a thrill for its and poignant for the complexities loving someone can bring to a dangerous job.Arrives on September 23.
a sally rooney novel encompasses such a beautiful and eloquent experience!! WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY EXCITING THING TO LOOK FORWARD TO!
The Night We Lost Him sounds good. I'm delighted to hear Alice Hoffman is coming out with another book.
Currently reading the very interesting Sky Full of Elephants. On my list, Here One Moment, Blue Sisters, and The Life Impossible. Lots of good ones on this list.!
I’m looking forward to the following: Beyond the Sea, Intermezzo, and Here One Moment
Sept looks promising with all the great upcoming books!! xx
Omg, So thirsty and Immortal dark sound sooo good!
Kristen wrote: "New YA and middle grade fiction coming out in September by Rick Riordan (more Percy Jackson), Linda Sue Park, Patrick Ness, and Frances Hardinge. I'm also looking forward to Alice Hoffman's newest."
Highly anticipated sequel to The Sunbearer Trials just dropped, too!
Immortal dark sounds interesting; rest I’m eh on.
Alicia wrote: "Somewhere Beyond the Sea. I am so glad it's finally coming out. I haven't looked forward to a book as much as this one for a long long time. And I usually read Horror."Have been waiting for this one too!
I'm looking forward to Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White, the new T.J Klune and the new Percy Jackson book 👀
I'm almost finishing An American Marriage and I’m excited to read Blue Sisters right away. It's already on my Kindle.
Fai wrote: "Nothing grabs me (sad)"I feel u
Law wrote: "The only book that looks intriguing is Blue Sisters. I'd skip the rest."I agree!
So much sounds the same, reading Fahreheit 451 (very good), and will focus on the banned books.
Kristen wrote: "New YA and middle grade fiction coming out in September by Rick Riordan (more Percy Jackson), Linda Sue Park, Patrick Ness, and Frances Hardinge. I'm also looking forward to Alice Hoffman's newest."
WHY DID I NOT KNOW THAT PATRICK NESS WAS COMING OUT WITH A NEW BOOK???
Already pre-ordered the Somewhere Beyond the Sea
Tiffany wrote: "I’m excited to read “What Time Doth the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust?” The long awaited return of Flavia de Luce, one of my favorite historical mysteries! A great series if you haven’t read it yet, I h..."Thank you for reminding me of the series. I read and so enjoyed the first book ages ago.. then just forgot to pick up the next ones in the series. Now to get back to it. Do you recommend reading the books in order or can I jumpo around?
Why didn't I know that Alice Hoffman has a new book coming out?! Excited! And I wouldn't have known it if it wasn't for a comment from Stephanie above. Thanks, Stephanie!
I am so excited to read "So Thirsty" by Rachael Harrison! Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
Sathya Sekar Tiffany wrote: "I’m excited to read “What Time Doth the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust?” The long awaited return of Flavia de Luce, one of my favorite historical mysteries! A great series if you haven’t read it yet, I h..."
Thank you for reminding me of the series. I read and so enjoyed the first book ages ago.. then just forgot to pick up the next ones in the series. Now to get back to it. Do you recommend reading the books in order or can I jumpo around?“
You can jump around, but my brain won’t let me! I adore Flavia. I am so excited for the next installment. ♥️
I want to read somewhere beyond the sea. I love the first part. So I’m waiting to read it. I don’t know if I’ll have enough patience to wait for a translation or if I’ll buy it in english 🤣
I liked Blue Sisters but think it’s a bit overhyped.
Laiza wrote: "I read the blue sisters. And I highly recommend everyone else does."currently waiting for my BOTM with this in it! I loved Cleo & Frank.
Wow these books are so interesting to me A lot of fun books
