As we fall into the routine of university life, coats and scarves begin to appear around campus, and the nights draw in, this autumn is an especially perfect time to curl up with a good book.
Whether you’d prefer the comfort of a cosy romance or a dark gothic horror just in time for spooky season, the next few months offer a variety of exciting upcoming titles, and I’ve rounded up a few of my most anticipated reads.
October features some major literary returns as Audrey Niffenegger’s newest novel Life Out Of Order, the wonderfully enigmatic sequel to The Time Traveller’s Wife, hits the shelves. Moreover, Stephen King, in collaboration with the late Peter Straub, delivers the final instalment of the Talisman Trilogy, Other Worlds Than These. As well as appealing to King’s returning audiences, new readers can also explore this captivating adventure as a stand-alone novel.
Similarly, Veronica Roth revisits the world of Divergent in The Sixth Faction. I was, of course, captivated with the original series at the peak of what can only be described as YA dystopian psychosis, so, perhaps nostalgia plays a part in my excitement. Nevertheless, I am both curious and nervous to see how an alternate version of Tris’ reality might unfold.
For me, however, the most exciting of these highly anticipated releases from big names has to be V. E. Schwab’s Victorious, the concluding instalment in her Villains trilogy. If you haven’t picked up her work yet, there’s no author I could recommend more wholeheartedly. Schwab’s work leans into moral ambiguity and villainy with a masterful ability for immersive storytelling.
For fans of literary fiction, Barbara Kingsolver’s Partitia examines the enduring influence of first love with emotionally intricate characters. Another notable author is Bonnie Garmus, whose breakout success with her best-selling debut Lessons in Chemistry has made the forthcoming novel Peck & Peck a highly anticipated release.
For those craving something darker this autumn, The Witch by Freida McFadden promises an enthralling night of suspense. This chilling and unsettling psychological thriller, from the author of The Housemaid, is an aptly timed October release. On the other hand, autumn is also the perfect excuse to unwind and indulge in a fast-paced, easy-to-read romance, and Rioghnach Robinson’s Bad Words, a provoking love story with a publishing-world premise, was selected as a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.
With such a varied selection of releases on the horizon, there is certainly something to suit every kind of reader. Perhaps there is no better excuse to set aside an evening, make a cup of tea, and lose yourself in a story — you never know, you could find your new favourite book.
Photo by Vitaliy Gavrushchenko on Unsplash
