Wondering what to read now? Here are all the hot new October 2023 book releases for you. I’ll let you know what I’ve read, what I can’t wait to read, and what’s getting all the attention this month.
In case you’re new to Booklist Queen, every month I cover all the hottest new book releases. I try to read as many new book releases as I can to give you an honest perspective on what to read and what to skip.
However, I realize that my to-read list might not exactly match yours. That’s why I’ve also included some of the most popular October 2023 book releases from your favorite authors.
Enough from me. Let’s get on to the October 2023 book releases so you can fill up your to-read list.
Top October 2023 Book Releases
The Leftover Woman
Jean Kwok
Fleeing her abusive husband Wen, Jasmine Yang arrives in New York from China with no money but a fierce determination to do anything to find her daughter he pretended had died and then secretly gave up for adoption because of China’s one-child policy. Meanwhile, publishing executive Rebecca Whitney has a perfect job, marriage, and the most adorable adopted Chinese daughter, Fifi. When a scandal at work threatens to ruin her marriage, Rebecca and Jasmine find themselves on a shocking collision course.
I was intrigued by Kwok’s look at motherhood and transracial adoption but felt like she missed the mark by styling her novel as a thriller rather than a straight drama. Especially since her biggest twist seemed extremely obvious. Although Jasmine’s complexity shone, the rest of the characters felt overly one-dimensional, stilting the narrative and leaving me wanting more depth.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 10 October 2023
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Going Infinite
Michael Lewis
After tackling the financial sector in The Big Short and Flash Boys, Michael Lewis dives deep into the collapse of the crypto company FTX. Virtually overnight, Sam Bankman-Fried shot onto Forbes’ billionaire list and captivated the world as he played video games during meetings. Lewis paints a character profile of Bankman-Fried, a man who never liked playing by the rules, a trait that lead to immense success and even more immense failure.
Let Us Descend
Jesmyn Ward
Oprah’s Book Club October 2023 – Blending magical realism with a reimagining of American slavery, Let Us Descend follows Annis, a Black girl sold South by the white slave master who fathered her. As Annis marches south, she finds solace in thinking of her mother and her warrior African grandmother. Communing with spirits, both good and bad, along the way, Annis’s descent toward the further hell of slavery is a surprising tale of rebirth and reclamation.
My Darling Girl
Jennifer McMahon
Alison has always hated Christmas, but her holiday season gets worse when her mother calls and tells her she only has a few weeks to live. Wanting to repair their relationship, Alison agrees to take in Mavis despite Alison’s traumatic memories of her abusive alcoholic mother. Instead of healing the relationship, Alison begins to realize her mother is not who she thought. Suspecting her mother is possessed by a demon, Alison must decide how far she is willing to go to save her family from this nightmare.
Jennifer McMahon has penned an atmospheric slow-burn horror story that will give you chills. At first, Ali discards her worries since everything is just a shade off, desperately wanting to believe she’s imaging it. By the time Ali realizes the truth, everyone now thinks that Ali is the problem, setting up a cat-and-mouse psychological game that keeps you on edge throughout the second half of the novel
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery/Scout Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 3 October 2023
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
People to Follow
Olivia Worley
Ten teenage influencers are invited to a remote island to film “In Real Life,” a reality show where they live unplugged for three weeks. With several friends-turned-enemies invited, the influencers quickly realize that the producers are looking for maximum drama. When the production crew fails to show on the first day and one influencer dies, they realize they are trapped on the island without any way to escape. A mysterious “Sponsor” is pulling strings backstage, revealing their secrets to the entire world as more influencers end up dead.
People to Follow was an over-the-top young adult thriller that was still an addictingly good read for me. At first, I had to make a cheat sheet of all the characters but, once I sorted them all out, I was completely hooked. Worley masterfully manipulates this isolation thriller, adapting the And Then There Were None trope to a younger generation of readers. With plenty of drama and a few excellent twists, People to Follow has all the delicious beach read vibes that make it a quick fun read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 31 October 2023
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
The Exchange
John Grisham
In a sequel to his debut thriller, The Firm, John Grisham returns to tell you what happened to Mitch and Abby McDeere after they exposed the crimes of his corrupt Memphis law firm. Fifteen years later, Mitch and Abby are living in Manhattan where Mitch is a partner in the world’s largest law firm. When Mitch gets caught up in another sinister plot with worldwide implications, he must do all he can to stay one step ahead of his enemies.
What We Kept to Ourselves
Nancy Jooyoun Kim
In 1977, Sunny Kim arrives in Los Angeles with her workaholic husband John and struggles to make a home in America. But a chance encounter at a bus stop leads to long-term consequences. In 1998, John Kim and his adult children are completely upended when Sunny, disappears. A year later, John discovers a stranger’s dead body in his backyard carrying a letter for Sunny and search for the truth threatens everything he thought he knew.
Book of the Month – October 2023
Receiving my blue box from Book of the Month Club is a highlight of every month.
Here’s how it works – each month, they pick 5 books and you get to choose one book or skip until the next month. If you want to add any extra books, then you get them at a discounted price.
Each month is usually a mix of new releases and advance copies of unreleased books. If you are interested in joining, right now you can use my Book of the Month Club affiliate link to get your first book for $5!
The October Book of the Month selections are:
See the Complete List of Upcoming Releases!
GMA Book Club October 2023 Pick
The List
Yomi Adegoke
In this page-turning debut novel, Ola Olajide is the picture of a successful woman. A celebrated journalist, Ola is set to marry her amazing fiancé Michael in just a month. Until “The List” appears, a crowdsourced collection of names that has become a social media account posting anonymous accusations. Normally Ola would be all-in supporting the list, except Michael’s name is on it.
Read With Jenna October 2023 Book Club Pick
How to Say Babylon
Safiya Sinclair
Award-winning poet Safiya Sinclair details her struggles breaking free from her father’s strict Rastafarian upbringing. Growing up in Jamaica, Safiya’s father was a member of an ultra-strict sect of Rastafari obsessed with purity. Terrified of the evils of Babylon, Safiya and her sisters were forbidden from almost everything: showing hair or skin, makeup, jewelry, and even friends. Yet, the more Safiya educated herself, the more she wished to break free of her father’s patriarchal views, resulting in conflict and violence in this heartrending memoir.
Reese’s Book Club October 2023 Pick
Starling House
Alix E. Harrow
Bad luck seems to run through Eden, Kentucky, and Opal certainly has had her fair share. An orphan and a high school dropout, Opal works as a part-time cashier hoping to save enough money to escape Eden and set up a better life for her younger brother. When offered some extra cash to help out at the town’s famous spooky mansion, Opal digs into the secrets of Starling House and the author who used to own it.
Oprah’s Book Club Pick
Wellness
Nathan Hill
in the 1990s, Jack and Elizabeth met as ambitious college students, both dreaming of finding places for themselves in Chicago’s thriving underground art scene. Now, twenty years later, Jack and Elizabeth find that amidst the struggles of parenting and married life, they feel like they barely know each other. Between Facebook feuds and mindfulness cults, the pair each do the hard work to better understand themselves or they will risk losing each other in Oprah’s September Book Club pick.
The Most Anticipated October 2023 Book Releases
Judgment Prey
John Sandford
The community of St. Paul is shocked when a wealthy federal judge and his two young sons are shot while playing baseball in their yard. Now his grieving widow looks for answers while deciding whether to continue his planned donation to a local housing charity. When the police are stumped, they call in Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers to find the truth.
Christmas Presents
Lisa Unger
As a teenager, Madeline Martin was the only surviving victim of Evan Handy, who was convicted of murdering her best friend Steph and suspected in the disappearance of two other friends. Now Madeline runs a thriving bookstore while caring for her aging father, the former sheriff. When true-crime podcaster Harley Granger arrives just before Christmas, he suspects there is more to the story. Women are still disappearing and Harley wonders if Evan might have had an accomplice.
Lisa Unger can certainly set a scene with this novella about a decades-ago murder at Christmastime. Christmas Presents had a good mix of tension and twists to keep you wanting more. The novella’s short length made it a very quick read; however, it didn’t leave as much time as I would have liked for character development.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penzler Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 24 October 2023
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Hidden Potential
Adam Grant
While innate talent has natural advantages, in life, success generally comes more from how well you are willing to learn and develop yourself. Using research and insightful storytelling, Grant shows how you can unlock your hidden potential by building character skills and motivational systems that will help you achieve more.
A Winter in New York
Josie Silver
Moving to New York to escape an abusive ex, Iris is charmed by a family-owned gelato shop in Little Italy that her mom visited decades ago and was given the secret recipe. When Gio, the handsome owner, admits to Iris that his uncle forgot the secret family recipe after a stroke, Iris doesn’t have it in her to admit that she has the key. Not wanting to cause family drama, Iris agrees to help recreate the recipe, but secrets from the past threaten to ruin her new love.
A Winter in New York is a cute little love story that reminds you that honest communication would prevent a whole lot of unnecessary drama. The miscommunication trope among fully-grown adults never sits well with me and I was disappointed Silver didn’t add a more nuanced message like she did in The Two Lives of Lydia Bird and One Day in December. Other than that, A Winter in New York was a pleasant romance with a little steam and mostly adorable characters that worked well as a quick light read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 3 October 2023
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Family Meal
Bryan Washington
After his boyfriend dies, Cam decides to move back to his hometown and try to start life afresh. Quickly he runs into his former best friend TJ at TJ’s family’s bakery. As Cam and TJ try to navigate their estrangement and build a new friendship as adults, Cam learns that you can find hope in the most unexpected of places.
Sword Catcher
Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare has a new fantasy series set in the hedonistic kingdom of Castellane. Since childhood, Kel has been raised as the Sword Catcher – the body double and personal bodyguard of Prince Conor Aurelian. After an assassination attempt, Kel meets the magical healer Lin. Working together, they become entangled in a corruption scandal that threatens to take down the entire kingdom, making them wonder if the kingdom is even worth saving.
Making It So
Patrick Stewart
Legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart tells of his life, from his humbling beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to his rise to fame in Hollywood. Along the way, he shares a portrait of an artist who has become famous for his Shakespearean roles, as Captain Picard in the Star Trek series, and as Professor Xavier in the X-Men series.
Popular October Upcoming Releases
What October 2023 Book Releases are You Most Excited to Read?
What books can you not wait to get your hands on this month? Did I miss any October 2023 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases:
Ann says
Hi Rachael!
I am on a library wait list for Wellness, but so far their order has not been filled. I am so happy to move on from Oprah’s previous selection: The Covenant of Water, which I loved, but felt she went on about a little too extensively. I really want to follow along with Oprah’s schedule, so I hope to get the book soon!
Jesmyn Ward’s new book’s cover has caught my eye for a while now, but not sure if magical realism is my thing. Speaking of which, The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman did not do it for me. Have you read it??
I am currently reading Susanna Kearsley’s The Winter Sea. It is recommended for fans of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.
Also artist Abigail Carter’s The Alchemy of Loss. I watch her you tube channel: The Chateau Chronicles and I am hooked. I highly recommend it. So fun seeing the progress she has made. She is a 911 widow who ended up buying a chateau in France. She is currently holding her first sketchbook retreat.
I have been kind of bouncing from book to book lately; lots of starting but not finishing. I got Paul Murray’s The Bee Sting, but found it to be slow and it is a long book. Also started Anna Burns Milkman, but feeling I need to reread the few pages I did read to do it justice. Started The Hike by Lucy Clarke, a thriller. Got a copy of Etaf Rum’s Evil Eye, but have not cracked into it. I am sure others are waiting, so it needs to go back to the library.
Picked up Hour of the Witch: by Chris Bohjalian, at the library after it was recommended by @meagansbookclub. She was searching for a spooky witchy read for October & I think she landed on a perfect choice.
Other than Wellness, October may be a month of me going back to older titles. I have several books that I own that I have been meaning to get to. Too many to list here. My 2023 reads have been satisfyingly (is that a word?!) varied. And that kinda just happened without me trying.
I may need to stay off the new release train for a bit, but it is so tempting to request them and get on wait lists as they pop up at the library. Anyone else have this addiction like me? I feel like it is pretty harmless. Although I often bite off more than I can chew.