Thursday, September 18, 2025

This month’s best new popular fiction

 
Readworthy by BookBub
This Month's Best New Popular Fiction
 
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Book cover for The Academy by Shelby Cunningham and Elin Hilderbrand
A #1 New York Times bestselling author and her daughter team up for a juicy page-turner
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • At a New England boarding school, chaos ensues when the academy is unexpectedly ranked second in the country — and a mysterious new app starts sharing scandalous gossip…
  • "Readers are in for a treat" (Publishers Weekly) with this entertaining read that follows students and staff over the course of one year
  • Kirkus Reviews raves, "Delicious… Sign us up for next term"
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Academy by Shelby Cunningham and Elin HilderbrandMEDIA MENTIONS:Book of the Month, CBS Mornings, People, Elle, Variety, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews
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Book cover for Something to Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg
Meet a colorful cast of small-town characters in this charming read
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "Comforting, nostalgic storytelling" (Kirkus Reviews) from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
  • This collection of heartfelt interconnected stories follows a great-grandmother in Kansas tackling generational gaps in her family, a woman in New York who makes a bold plan when her husband leaves her, and more
  • "Fannie Flagg is a national treasure" (Adriana Trigiani)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Something to Look Forward To by Fannie FlaggMEDIA MENTIONS:Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Book cover for Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
This sweeping New York Times bestseller is 'an American epic' (NPR)
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • September's Read with Jenna pick "deftly blends in surprising twists and insight" (Booklist starred review)
  • Across generations, two Midwestern families find their lives irrevocably transformed by the consequences of a shattering secret
  • Rave reviews from Ann Patchett, Chris Whitaker, and Ann Napolitano, who says, "I love this book with my entire heart"
Learn more...
Media mentions for Buckeye by Patrick RyanMEDIA MENTIONS:TODAY Book Club/Read with Jenna, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, The Washington Post, Financial Times, The Guardian, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
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Book cover for Boy from the North Country by Sam Sussman
'The most beautiful and moving mother-son story in recent memory' (Kirkus Reviews starred review)
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "A debut novel of rare power… This novel held me breathless at every turn" (Maria Semple)
  • When Evan returns home to care for his dying mother, he must confront the mysteries of his family's past — including the possibility that Bob Dylan is his father
  • Inspired by the author's own uncertain celebrity paternity
Learn more...
Media mentions for Boy from the North Country by Sam SussmanMEDIA MENTIONS:The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal
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GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Vianne by Joanne Harris
Return to the dazzling world of Chocolat in this delicious new release
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Years before opening her infamous chocolate shop, Vianne discovers the magic of cooking — and the danger of revealing people's true desires
  • Rave reviews from Marian Keyes and Ruth Hogan, who calls it "every bit as vivid, magical, and delicious as I hoped it would be"
  • "Mouthwatering. Your senses are left reeling" (The Observer)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Vianne by Joanne HarrisMEDIA MENTIONS:Oprah Daily, People, The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, The Guardian, The Times, Booklist
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GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Hot Desk by Laura Dickerman
Two rival editors are forced to share a desk — while competing for a career-making opportunity!
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Fans of Writers & Lovers and Younger shouldn't miss this "unique, decades-spanning story of friendship, love, and literature" (Kirkus Reviews)
  • Rebecca and Ben both want to land the rights to a legendary author's estate, and they must decide how far they're willing to go to win
  • "The funniest novel I've read in ages… I challenge any reader not to fall in love with this charming debut" (Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Hot Desk by Laura DickermanMEDIA MENTIONS:People, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Literary Hub
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GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for At Last by Marisa Silver
'Marisa Silver has built a fictional world I was happy to live inside' (Ann Napolitano)
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • In midcentury America, Helene and Evelyn are two fierce matriarchs whose lives are transformed when their children marry — and they're forced to confront their vastly different belief systems
  • This family saga delivers "masterful portraits of women's lives, only half lived" (Kirkus Reviews)
  • From the New York Times bestselling author of Mary Coin
Learn more...
Media mentions for At Last by Marisa SilverMEDIA MENTIONS:Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Electric Literature
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Book cover for Middle Spoon by Alejandro Varela
A sharp, hilarious novel highly anticipated by Today, Town & Country, and more
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • When a man in an open marriage is dumped by his younger boyfriend, he must navigate heartbreak in a society that deems his relationships unconventional
  • "Brilliant… Middle Spoon subverts the ordinary novel with intelligence and vulnerability" (Pulitzer Prize–winning author Andrew Sean Greer)
  • Jacqueline Woodson raves, "From the very first page, I found myself exhaling — awed by Varela's sharp wit, originality, and the extraordinary care and intensity he brings to every sentence"
Learn more...
Media mentions for Middle Spoon by Alejandro VarelaMEDIA MENTIONS:TODAY Show, The Washington Post, Town & Country, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage, The Millions, Literary Hub
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Book cover for Isabella's Not Dead by Beth Morrey
If you loved Where'd You Go, Bernadette, pick up this quirky read
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "Sparkling… A rewarding tale of second chances" (Publishers Weekly)
  • Can 53-year-old Gwen figure out what happened to her former friend who vanished from her life — and everyone else's — 15 years ago?
  • From the author of The Love Story of Missy Carmichael
  • "Beth has such a sharp eye for the comedy of everyday life, I devoured the book in two sittings. An utter joy!" (Freya Sampson, author of The Last Library)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Isabella's Not Dead by Beth MorreyMEDIA MENTIONS:Good Housekeeping, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist
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Book cover for Through an Open Window by Pamela Terry
Don't miss this 'profoundly moving novel' beloved by Patti Callahan Henry
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Set in a quaint, scenic small town in Georgia
  • Margaret is reeling from the recent loss of her beloved husband — and as she begins to experience visions of her late Aunt Edith, she becomes convinced that there's a secret from her own past, waiting to be uncovered
  • "Poignant… Heartwarming" (Booklist starred review)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Through an Open Window by Pamela TerryMEDIA MENTION:Booklist
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GoogleOther formats and retailers
 
  

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