America’s Librarians Have Spoken: The 10 New Releases They’re Most Excited For Us To Read
Rich historical fiction, swoony romance, asylum horror—there’s a perfect pick for every TBR list!
Key Takeaways
- Librarians vote every month on their favorite new releases, and we’ve got this month’s list.
- October's picks on LibraryReads.org span historical fiction, swoony romance and horror.
- One highlight: A long-awaited Time Traveler's Wife companion novel that librarians love.
The ultimate book recommendations for October are officially here, courtesy of America’s most trusted literary experts: our librarians. How’d we manage to get their top picks? Public library staff can actually vote for what they think should be featured on LibraryReads.org, a site that spreads the word about titles librarians loved reading and can’t wait to share.
This month’s winners include something for everyone—including historical fiction, swoonworthy amnesia romance, spine-tingling horror and the long-awaited Time Traveler’s Wife sequel. Keep reading to find out which you’ll want to add to your TBR list immediately.
Librarians are loving these October releases
Without further ado, let’s run through the recs…
The Memory of Borrowed Books by Meg Anderson
Perfect for fans of The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods; in bookstores and libraries starting Oct. 6, 2026
The top pick of the month, it centers on a small-town librarian who stumbles on a secret stash of books with the power to pull her inside other people’s memories. What she learns might save everything she holds dear. “It’s a feel-good story about the beauty of books, the readers who love them and a shining love letter to libraries,” says librarian and LibraryReads exec director Rebecca Vnuk.
A special shout out to Indiana author Meg Anderson, who has shared openly that writing helps her make sense of life as she navigates multiple sclerosis. Says Vnuk: “She truly put her heart into the story, and it will resonate with anyone who has ever found themselves—or lost themselves!—in a book.” One Goodreads review warned: “This book had everything it needed to have, except tissues. I bawled like a baby.”
Once, Again, Always by Amanda Gayle
Perfect for fans of Thank You for Remembering by Emily Harding; in bookstores and libraries starting Oct. 6, 2026
Molly Graham wakes up in a hospital with a head injury and six years of missing memories—only to discover she’s apparently married Aster Bishop, the boarding school rival who made her life miserable. “Molly’s horrified by this,” shares Maddelyn Vanicell of the Chicago Public Library. She returns home at the urging of friends. Will she fall for a man she once despised?
One of the buzziest romances of the season, with some advance readers devouring it in a single sitting. “The yearning from Aster’s side alone had me swooning,” wrote one reviewer on Goodreads. Fun fact: It’s the author’s debut novel, as it started as Harry Potter fan fiction (shipping Hermione and Draco Malfoy!).
Queen of Lombard Street by Lisa Kleypas
Perfect for fans of The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly; in bookstores and libraries starting Oct. 20, 2026
London, 1880. Reina Martin, the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish immigrant mother and a self-made financial prodigy, is determined to build Britain’s first all-women’s bank. At home, she’s hired recently paroled prisoners as her domestic help. And they may not be the only lawbreakers in her life. The novel is inspired by Mary Paley Marshall, Britain’s first female economist, and financial titan Hetty Green.
Written by Lisa Kleypas, the New York Times bestselling author of Devil in Winter and 20 other novels. Her newest offering is a fascinating glimpse into the past, but “it’s the nuanced and intriguing characters, based on real-life women, who really help this book shine,” says Judy G. Sebastian of Eastham Public Library in Massachusetts.
Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger
Perfect for fans of The Ministry of Time by Kallane Bradley; in bookstores and libraries starting Oct. 6, 2026
There’s no need to have read The Time Traveler’s Wife to dive into this one—though if you loved the 2003 mega-bestseller, this companion novel will be a real treat. Alba DeTamble has inherited her father Henry’s rare disorder, causing her to slip unpredictably through decades, from riot-torn Chicago to a dystopian future where virtual reality and real life converge. It’s the tale of a woman trying to build love, friendship, community while time keeps yanking her away from it.
When publishing rights for this book went to auction, it sold for a whopping seven figures. Some early reviews suggest the book is overstuffed. But enthusiasts praise a graceful and kaleidoscopic story that “will send your mind spinning,” says Claire Etheridge of the Brentwood Public Library in Pennsylvania. “Pro tip: Keep an eye on the dates and ages!”
Bad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson
Perfect for fans of Book Lovers by Emily Henry; in bookstores and libraries starting Oct. 6, 2026
Parker Navarro’s debut novel was the flop of the decade thanks to critic Selina Chan’s blistering review. Four years later, her takedown of his redemption novel ignites a viral feud that shifts both their fortunes overnight. A quieter dialogue begins, challenging everything they thought they knew about success, sincerity and each other.
This one takes an enemies-to-lovers storyline to new heights, largely because it’s “grounded in rich, real emotions,” says Jenna Friebel of the Oak Park Public Library in Illinois. Backing her up is Emily Henry, who called it “a once-in-a-lifetime read.” Meanwhile, Carley Fortune raved that it’s “easily one of my favourites of the year, if not the decade.”
5 more Library Reads recommendations—mostly for horror fans
October’s LibraryReads rec list also includes some grittier options, if that’s your jam.
Solace House by Will Maclean
University students are tasked with cleaning up an abandoned asylum—if the premise doesn’t scare you off, this literary horror may well delight you. The story plays with the concept of time existing all at once.
Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus
This one pulls back the curtain on a surprising, backstabbing underbelly of the poetry world. A sharp young new hire quickly discovers that the editors of a prestigious poetry quarterly are hiding far more than bad verse.
Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun
A “relentlessly strange” and compulsively readable tale of peculiar TV broadcasts that foster dangerous obsessions. It’s horror with a sci-fi edge.
Monstera by Delilah S. Dawson
A blend of horror and romance, Monstera is about a young woman who escapes her controlling grandfather and moves into a Savannah dream apartment. She becomes intrigued by her plant-loving, secret-keeping neighbor.
Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong
If the spooky season has you in the mood for an edge-of-your-seat supernatural horror, give this one a try. In it, five stranded strangers realize a bar and nearby woods are not what they seem.
Want even more great recs? Librarians have you covered!
If you’re just discovering LibraryReads like us, here’s one thing its exec director would love for you to know: They have an archive of over 2,000 recommendations dating back to 2013. And it’s very book-club friendly! “You can sort titles by picks that would be good for book discussion groups,” says Vnuk.
She’s also very proud that “this isn’t a popularity contest or a best-seller list—it comes from real readers who have made reading and serving their communities their careers.” So bookmark it—because somewhere out there, a librarian has already found your next favorite book!
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