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Readers' Most Anticipated Books of September
The veritable onslaught of high-profile books that began in August continues into September with a remarkable selection of new titles that runs both deep and broad. Literary fiction, historical fiction, sci-fi and fantasy, horror, and thrillers—there’s something for everyone this month. In fact, several of this month’s books cross multiple genres within a single story. It’s a headache for shelving purposes, but a win for adventurous readers.
New in September: Colson Whitehead rethinks the heist story template with Harlem Shuffle, set in 1960s New York City. Liane Moriarty returns with Apples Never Fall, a twisty thriller wrapped around a complicated moral dilemma. And Richard Powers’ new book, Bewilderment, manages to address extraterrestrial life, ecological peril, and neural pathways. Also watch for rampaging monsters, postmortem romance, and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Each month the Goodreads editorial team takes a look at the books that are being published in the U.S., readers' early reviews, and how many readers are adding these books to their Want to Read shelves (which is how we measure anticipation). We use the information to curate this list of hottest new releases.
Meet Felix and Eileen and Simon and Alex. Four young adults on the precipice of the real world, they’re fighting the good fight—looking for significance and a way forward through conversation, friendship, sex, and conversations about friendship and sex. Irish author Sally Rooney has been called the foremost millennial writer to crack the world book market, and her last one, Normal People, was quickly adapted into a 12-part TV series for the BBC and Hulu.
If the universe was fair, or even moderately discerning, we would all get a U.N.-mandated week off when Colson Whitehead releases a new book. In his latest story, Whitehead (The Underground Railroad, The Nickel Boys) tackles the heist story template with an adventure in the heart of 1960s Harlem, New York. This is good news: Whitehead can work literary miracles with genre material—check out his elegant zombie apocalypse book Zone One for ironclad proof.
Dedicated to “the librarians then, now, and in the years to come,” this new novel from Pultizer Prize winner Anthony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See) looks frankly awesome. An ambitious epic told via three separate timelines—in 1453, in the present day, and several decades into the future—the book could be accurately shelved under historical fiction, literary fiction, science fiction, or fantasy. Thematically, the book is concerned with the stewardship of stories, and of life on Earth, and the connection between the two. Pretty good!
Australian author Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies) returns with a story of family drama writ insanely large. The Delaneys are a fixture in the community, a happy clan with a successful family business and a serious thing for tennis. But when matriarch Joy goes missing, her husband, Stan, is the prime suspect. The four Delaney children are split down the middle on what to do next. When mom goes missing, and dad is the likely culprit, what do you do next? Tennis, anyone?
Dedicated fans of innovative historical fiction will want to put this one in the queue. Author Lauren Groff (Fates and Furies) tells the story of 17-year-old Marie de France, kicked out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine and assigned to oversee a run-down English abbey. But when Marie finds unexpected passion and purpose with her new sisters, she’s determined to chart a new course for women of a different and authentic kind of faith.
MacArthur Fellow, Pulitzer Prize winner, and National Book Award recipient Richard Powers trades in Big Ideas. His new novel tells of an astrobiologist engaging life on a personal, cellular, and cosmic scale. Widower Theo Byrne is set to try an experimental new treatment for his nine-year-old, who is obsessed with drawing pictures of endangered species. The plan involves training the boy with recorded electrical patterns of his dead mother’s brain. Bewilderment is recommended for those who like to explore the borderlands of literary speculative fiction.
The intriguing title of this novel—the first in a series exploring themes of 21st-century womanhood—refers to a time-worn adage concerning Black women in America. Thirtysomething Tabitha Walker intends to have it all. She’s got the hard-won education, the good job, the nice house, and the proper dating plan for meeting a qualified life partner. But when a medical diagnosis threatens everything, Tabitha must lean on friends and family to avoid spinning out and crashing.
By all indications, Wallace Price is dead. But Wallace doesn’t feel dead, and in any case he has no intention of crossing over. And so it passes that, in a delightfully odd world-between-worlds, Wallace is given a chance to live a lifetime in seven days. Author T.J. Klune’s warm and quirky approach to fantasy storytelling has won him a devoted tribe of admirers. Under the Whispering Door features a curious romance, a mysterious ferryboat ride, and a powerful being called the Manager.
Author Cadwell Turnbull (The Lesson) proposes an unsettling idea: What if we were to all wake up tomorrow and discover that monsters are real? That they’ve been here all along and are only now coming out of the shadows? Turnbull’s innovative urban fantasy presents a world where mysterious deaths are spiking, suicides are sweeping the planet, and society must adapt to a disturbing new reality. Then there’s the real question: What has scared the monsters out of the dark?
In 2017, 19-year-old Tallulah disappeared. She was last seen heading to a party at a house in the woods known as the Dark Place. In 2019, Sophie is walking in those same woods when she spots a recently scrawled sign pinned to a tree. It reads: “DIG HERE.” This new mystery from veteran author Lisa Jewell comes with twists, turns, and a clear moral to the story: Don’t go to parties at houses named the Dark Place.
Mizuki lives the life of a traditional Japanese homemaker. She has two great kids, a gorgeous Tokyo apartment, and a hardworking husband. Mizuki is also miserable, almost all of the time. Everything changes when she meets Kiyoshi, a friendly restaurant owner who introduces Mizuki to the vibrant neon world of Tokyo at night. What happens from there makes up the heart of this debut novel from Emily Itami, which is getting adoring reviews and looks to be one of those sleeper hits that rolls around every season.
Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!
Check out more recent articles, including:
September's Hottest New Romances
The Biggest New Young Adult Books of September
Goodreads Members' Most Anticipated Fall Books
Check out more recent articles, including:
September's Hottest New Romances
The Biggest New Young Adult Books of September
Goodreads Members' Most Anticipated Fall Books
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Carol
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Sep 01, 2021 12:05AM
The Matrix sounds intriguing and I’d read anything with Eleanor of Aquitaine in.
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Can't believe you aren't showing The Wish by Nichols Sparksand Jodi Picoult's upcoming book , Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell and Jailhouse Lawyer by John Grisham
Maryann wrote: "Can't believe you aren't showing The Wish by Nichols Sparksand Jodi Picoult's upcoming book , Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell and Jailhouse Lawyer by John Grisham"
I'm not sure about the others but if you're referring to the Jodi Picoult Wish You Were Here I read that it will be released in November 2021 (so it's not anticipated for September). Source: https://www.jodipicoult.com/wish-you-...
Maryann wrote: "Can't believe you aren't showing The Wish by Nichols Sparksand Jodi Picoult's upcoming book , Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell and Jailhouse Lawyer by John Grisham"
Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell is also a November release, not September.
Jailhouse Lawyer is by James Patterson, not John Grisham.
“The Lost Magic” by Katie Cross really needs to be added to this list.
Maryann wrote: "Can't believe you aren't showing The Wish by Nichols Sparksand Jodi Picoult's upcoming book , Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell and Jailhouse Lawyer by John Grisham"
New Grisham book comes out 10/19
New Picoult book release on 11/30
Same with with Cornwell book
I looking forward to Once Upon A Broke Heart by the author of Caraval. Which I read and loved. Which her book was at the end September.
Tim wrote: "ARE YOU LOOKING FOR RICHES, FAME, POWERS, KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM. Are you a business Man or Woman, Politician, Musician, Pastor, Lawyer, Actor, Actress, Banker, Footballer, Model, Graduate, student, , Engineer And you want to be Rich, Famous and Powerful in Life, And NO HUMAN SACRIFICE..."Ooh sorry, without human sacrifice it’s just not worth it.
Maryann wrote: "Can't believe you aren't showing The Wish by Nichols Sparksand Jodi Picoult's upcoming book , Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell and Jailhouse Lawyer by John Grisham"
Because this post is about September releases Maryann
Mel Robbins new book The High Five habit is out too!
Again no respect for Nonfiction Historical Books. How about Taking Paris by Martin Dugard? His overall book review are all better than those authors with the exception of a few.In the past you have missed the great authors for that genre like Adam Makos, Hampton Sides, James Hornfischer, Rick Atkinson, David McCullough, Mark Bowan and Alex Kershaw. They are the storytellers writing of our past that unfortunately most of the younger generation have no idea ever happened. Some of their books should be required reading in MS or HS.
After a very disappointing new Paula Hawkins release (Slow Fire Burning) I highly recommend the above mentioned Jewel and Moriarty for those looking for their psychological thriller fix along with two others that just released, Feeney’s Rock Paper Scissors and Kurians Never Saw Me Coming. Also for historical fiction fans The Mad Womens Ball is definitely worth picking up.
For goodness sake - stop complaining! It's good information so just accept it and move along.
Besides, Jodi picoult and Nicholas sparks are trite hacks. Not literature.
Lynn wrote: "For goodness sake - stop complaining! It's good information so just accept it and move along."Was that directed towards my comment?
Bree wrote: "Besides, Jodi picoult and Nicholas sparks are trite hacks. Not literature."I have to agree with you there!
