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After a satisfying summer of social gatherings, it’s time to pour some tea, get under a blanket and cozy up to the latest releases. Fall is the only time when it’s completely acceptable to decline invites and flake out in favour of a good book. We need these three months to ourselves before we’re swept away by holiday madness. From pulse-racing thrillers to heartbreaking memoirs, here are 11 new releases we recommend.
‘The Testaments’ by Margaret Atwood
Hands down, Atwood’s sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale” is the most anticipated book of the year. “The Testaments” picks up 15 years after Offred’s final moments in the original novel and we’re waiting with bated breath to find out how her journey unfolds.
‘The Water Dancer’ by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Coates’ first attempt at fiction looks very promising. “The Water Dancer” tells the story of Hiram Walker, a young black boy born into slavery on a Virginia plantation owned by his white father. When tasked with caring for his half-brother, the overly indulged heir of the plantation, Hiram plans an escape which sets off a motion of events spanning several years and countries.
‘On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous’ by Ocean Vuong
Poet Vuong’s debut novel was an instant New York Times Bestseller when it came out in June. It’s a shattering portrait of a family caught between disparate worlds and surviving the aftermath of trauma. If you haven’t added this to your reading list, now is a good time.
‘Talking to Strangers’ by Malcolm Gladwell
The author of popular titles such as “Outliers”, “Blink” and “David and Goliath” is back and this time he’s tackling our interactions with strangers and how they can go wrong. Gladwell argues that because we don’t know how to communicate to strangers, we invite conflict and misunderstanding in ways that can have a profound effect on our lives.
‘Queen Meryl’ by Erin Carlson
With her first book, “I’ll Have What She’s Having”, Carlson tackled the iconic Nora Ephron and the films that defined the romantic comedy genre. Now, she’s back covering another icon: Meryl Streep. With great research and enthusiasm, Carlson writes of Streep’s trailblazing roles, activism and impact on pop culture. If you’re a fan, you’ll want to add this to your pile September 24.
‘She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement,’ by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Kantor and Twohey recount their jarring investigation into Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault scandal which sparked the #MeToo movement in 2017. “She Said” is an electrifying story about the truth of power with shocking new information from hidden sources.
‘An Orchestra of Minorities’ by Chigozie Obioma
Shortlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize (alongside the aforementioned “The Testaments”), Obioma’s heart-wrenching novel revolves around a Nigerian poultry farmer who sacrifices everything for the woman he loves. It’s slated for an October 15 release.
‘The Chestnut Man’ by Søren Sveistrup
Crime fans rejoice! “The Killing” creator Sveistrup has returned with a heart-pounding thriller about a psychopath terrorizing citizens of Copenhagen. While it contains a handful of overused tropes like two detectives who can’t set aside their differences, the book still makes for a fun rainy weekend read.
‘Three Women’ by Lisa Taddeo
Journalist Taddeo spent a decade following the romantic lives of three women in America: Maggie, a 17-year-old student in North Dakota; Lina, a stay-at-home mom in Indiana; Sloane, a successful restaurant owner in Rhode Island. The result? A nonfiction literary masterpiece on complexity of female desire.
‘The Secrets We Kept’ by Lara Prescott
Set during the pinnacle of the Cold War, “The Secrets We Kept” tells the story of two female spies whose mission involves smuggling “Dr. Zhivago” out of the USSR where it’s banned for its critiques of the State. Since Reese Witherspoon announced this as her September pick for her book club, there’s no doubt it will be a smash hit this fall.
‘The Institute’ by Stephen King
Fans of “Stranger Things” and “It” will want to sink their teeth into “The Institute”, King’s 61st novel. It starts off in Minneapolis where a group of intruders murder a young boy’s parents and load him into a black SUV. Where exactly do they take him? Well, you’re in for the fright of your life. King is the master of horror, after all.