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Readers' Most Anticipated Books of September
Summer is winding down, but that’s OK, as long as there are good books to read. As it happens, there are some great new books coming in September. This time around, we’ve compiled a full dozen of the month’s most anticipated titles.
New in September: Debut author GennaRose Nethercott explores Eastern European mythology with the fantasy adventure Thistlefoot. Deanna Raybourn introduces a team of senior citizen assassins in the mystery-thriller Killers of a Certain Age. And historical fiction specialist Maggie O'Farrell explores Renaissance Italy with The Marriage Portrait. Also on tap this month: Pulitzer Prize winners, lesbian necromancers, and the latest from Mr. Stephen Edwin King.
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.
Swedish author Fredrik Backman (A Man Called Ove) wraps up his popular Beartown series with The Winners, a multilayered tale of life and loss in a small town obsessed with hockey. Two years ago, the residents of hard-luck Beartown experienced a tragedy that no one wants to talk about. It looks like a sports story, but Backman is writing about family and community—you don’t need to like hockey to appreciate these books.
This highly anticipated new historical novel comes from the author of Hamnet, the National Book Critics Circle Award winner that imagined the fate of Shakespeare’s son. This time around, author Maggie O’Farrell sets the action in the treacherous noble courts of Renaissance Italy. Young Lucrezia de Medici finds her carefree life suddenly upended when the powerful duke of the Ferranese dynasty asks for her hand in marriage. Lucrezia soon learns that aristocratic mind games can be deadly, especially in 16th-century Florence.
Debut author Carolyn Huynh brings a jolt of playful magical realism into the messy lives of a modern Vietnamese American family in Orange County, California. For several generations now, the women of the loving and rowdy Duong family have suffered from an ancestral curse that dooms them to misfortune and misery. But now Hawaiian psychic Auntie Hua has delivered a new prophecy concerning a marriage, a funeral, and the birth of a son.
Remember Lucy Barton? Well, the good news is she’s back! The bad news is that she’s in pandemic lockdown. The weird news is that she’s locked down with her ex-husband and occasional bestie William, in a small town in Maine. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Elizabeth Strout (Olive Kitteridge) writes with tremendous empathy about the nooks and crannies of the human heart. People need people, it seems. Even in lockdown. Even with your ex.
Put the terms “new book” and “Stephen King” in a sentence, and the day gets a little brighter. The latest from New England’s gentleman monster-summoner, Fairy Tale concerns a young boy, his adopted dog, and a portal to another universe. King has said that the book is his answer to a question he asked himself during the pandemic: “What could you write that would make you happy?” Be aware: The stuff that makes Stephen King happy can get a little dodgy…
Jamaican British author Candice Carty-Williams snagged a lot of eyeballs with her 2019 debut novel, Queenie. Now she’s back with the story of Dimple Pennington, an aspiring lifestyle influencer with a flair for the dramatic. When her elusive father drifts back into the picture, Dimple reunites with her rowdy half-siblings Nikisha, Danny, Lizzie, and Prynce. People Person is a reminder that family is family, no matter how late you make the connection.
In this third installment of his popular Thursday Murder Club series, English author Richard Osman returns to the gentle retirement village known as Cooper's Chase, in which four aging sleuths team up to solve criminal cases. This time around, the gang investigates two separate murders involving TV stars, money launderers, and at least one ex-KGB colonel. Bonus trivia: Osman is also a popular comedian and TV presenter in England.
Continuing the senior citizen theme, Deanna Raybourn’s new mystery-thriller follows the fortunes of 60-something compatriots Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie. The ladies have just embarked on an all-expenses-paid vacation to celebrate their retirement—when their former employer tries to kill them. But don’t worry: It turns out that the old girls are actually highly trained assassins. Coming back out of retirement has never been such fun.
The term “Nicholas Sparks book” is practically a genre designation of its own and a semiannual destination for the prolific author’s legions of fans. Sparks’ latest is a love story with extras, as the author presents two narrative strands that ultimately converge. A pair of musicians find each other late in life, while a young single mother tries to protect her boy from an abusive ex-husband. Bonus trivia: Sparks’ most popular books on Goodreads are, in order, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Dear John.
One of the more intriguing books to come down the pike this year, Thistlefoot is the debut novel from writer, performer, and folklorist GennaRose Nethercott. The story digs deep into Eastern European folklore and features a traveling theater show, a sentient house on chicken legs, and a menacing entity known only as the Longshadow Man. Think of it as contemporary mythmaking in the manner of Holly Black’s Modern Faerie Tales series or Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.
Continuing The Locked Tomb series of dark adult fantasy, Nona the Ninth is the latest from New Zealand author Tamsyn Muir, who has carved out her own unique domain of genre-hopping spacetime. The series rides a kind of adult SFF/horror vibe and features swashbuckling adventure, goth sensibilities, lesbian necromancers in space—that sort of thing. Even the numbers get weird. Nona the Ninth is technically the third book in the series, but actually the fifth.
Celebrity scientist and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is an intensely curious individual and has proved to be one of the most effective science communicators of his generation. His new book brings a much-needed cosmic perspective to our current earthly dilemmas—in fact, it’s a direct challenge to those forces that seek to divide us with misinformation campaigns and tribal politics. What’s so funny about peace, love, and compassionate rationalism?
Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!
And be sure to check out more recent articles.
And be sure to check out more recent articles.
Comments Showing 51-76 of 76 (76 new)
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message 51:
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MSAVwilde
(new)
Sep 07, 2022 03:53PM
Wow...if you ask me everyone commenting on not liking Heralds comment are the ones being over dramatic...it’s like you all just followed each other like a bunch of sheep to gang up on someone that’s entitled to their opinion, smh.
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HERALD wrote: "" Whaaaat??? No J.KROWLING in the list?NO BLACK INK HEART...We have been waiting since January.
GoodReads your WOKE "policies" won't help you gain popularity.
And the BETA design is still the wor..."
Imagine being this upset over a list that didn't mention a transphobic, homophobic, racist author
Yeah Jk Rowling shouldn’t be in anyones list to be honest! Anyways, can’t wait to read the king.
My most anticipated book is FORSAKEN COUNTRY by Allen Eskens.
Jeff wrote: "Once again so very many *great* books coming out this month - and so very few books on this list I've ever heard of.Here's just the ones on my own list:
Lost In Time by A.G. Riddle
Twisted by Ja..." Thank you, Jeff! I appreciate the shout-out.
Anti-trans dude triggered by a Goodreads list. Perhaps you can start a book club on Truth Social.
Andrea wrote: "Beartown series is AMAZING!! Can’t wait to read The Winners which sadly is the end of the trilogy.(Beartown is also an HBO series which closely matches the book.)"I already read it -- it's really good! :)
Did you guys figure out that "The Ink Black Heart" already came out on August 30th?I could tell there was quite a commotion, but I couldn't tell if anyone really wanted to read the book, or were just making fun.
Be that as it may, it came out in August. That's why it's not one of "Readers' Most Anticipated Books of September." ;)
koni wrote: "Can’t wait to get my hands on “The Marriage Portrait”! It’s been about a while since I last read a historical novel"I’m sooo buying this one!
Just got the new Stephen King book I’m so excited!!
I’m excited about Thistlefoot….the description makes me think of Tom Robbins
A Man Called Ove is a great book, just realize it is not part of the Beartown series. And it's probably best to read the Beartown books in order.
Rebekka wrote: "I don't think Herald will ever comment on a post again...😂"We can only hope! :-D
Mark wrote: "Haven't heard of A Man Called Ove or the Thursday Murder Club series until just now somehow. Going to check those out.""A Man Called Ove" is one of my favorite Backman novels. Definitely a "must read" :)
HERALD wrote: "" Whaaaat??? No J.KROWLING in the list?NO BLACK INK HEART...We have been waiting since January.
GoodReads your WOKE "policies" won't help you gain popularity.
And the BETA design is still the wor..."
HERALD wrote: "" Whaaaat??? No J.KROWLING in the list?
NO BLACK INK HEART...We have been waiting since January.
GoodReads your WOKE "policies" won't help you gain popularity.
And the BETA design is still the wor..."
So the people who whine about things being "woke" have made their way to Goodreads I see. It's a book list, it's not that serious lol. Lighten up and try to enjoy life a little! :-)
Sue wrote: "Can’t wait to get Stephen Kings new book and looking forward to reading Fredrik Backmans."Fairy Tale was absolutely wonderful! 5 Star read!
J.K. Rowling is overrated. Only books I’ve ever said the movies are better.
HERALD wrote: " Whaaaat??? No J.KROWLING in the list?NO BLACK INK HEART...We have been waiting since January.
GoodReads your WOKE "policies" won't help you gain popularity.
And the BETA design is still the worst.
Next time. Add Real authors on the list.
Dumb people.“
Okay boomer
“Add Real authors on the list.”The irony in this statement, given that the book you’re stomping your feet about was written using a pseudonym.
HERALD wrote: "" Whaaaat??? No J.KROWLING in the list?NO BLACK INK HEART...We have been waiting since January.
GoodReads your WOKE "policies" won't help you gain popularity.
And the BETA design is still the wor..."
Perhaps you should be reminded how this list was compiled. You act as though the upper-echelons of GR gathered in a darkened room and conspired to build it, when in reality, "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)."
The whole point of GR is to seek the opinion of the layman. It leads to ridiculous winners of the Annual Goodreads Awards because it's a popularity contest, but at least they're HONEST about it.
By not including ink heart by ( rowling) Galbraith, will only increase the attraction to that book series.By not including her books thus enabling the cancel culture mentality who ironically who have been banned themselves about 30 years ago, producing the equivalent of a passive aggressive book list of shunned authors from getting publicity. 😂 thus in effect causing reverse psychology to causing a want to get her books by those who love the book series and those same folks .. most of whom don't actually care about some warped out of rationality mentality.
Since this is banned book week, I think it's great to leave her book out of the list.. it will cause more people to want to read it..
Bravo.
