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Based on the new releases coming in September 2023, this might be a skip month for me with Book of the Month.
September’s new book releases are dominated by literary and contemporary fiction. There were not many new thriller options for September, which is the genre I tend to be drawn to.
A lot of new books are releasing at the end of September, so I could see them having a few last August releases as September picks. Either way, I see this being a five main pick month with maybe 1-2 new add-ons.
If you’ve been around for a while, you know Book of the Month (BOTM) is my favorite book subscription service. I love the anticipation of finally seeing their monthly picks and always have fun trying to guess what may show up on the app on the first of every month.
If you aren’t familiar with BOTM, you can check out my full review of this subscription service. The basic idea is BOTM chooses 5-7 books from different genres every month and members can choose their pick when the books go live. You can also add on up to two more books for only $10.99 each. As of June 2023, BFF members can add up to four more books to their box.
If you don’t like any of the picks, you can choose to skip and save your credit for the next month, which is honestly the best part of this service to me. I don’t like subscription boxes that only offer one book selection that you don’t know ahead of time. If you are interested in trying BOTM, you can use my link to get your first book for only $5!
As usual, these are just my opinions and my predictions. It is fine if you disagree or think the predictions are terrible-we all have different reading tastes. Please remember to be kind in comments or messages because we are all readers with different tastes!
Thriller/Mystery Predictions
The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin
Release Date: September 12, 2023
Debut Author
Most people wouldn’t buy an infamous murder house to renovate for fun . . . but Sarah Slade is not most people.
The Sight by Melanie Golding
Release Date: September 5, 2023
Repeat Author
In the tradition of Camilla Sten and Victor LaValle, Melanie Golding’s newest novel is a chilling carnival-set suspense, perfect for fans of Stranger Things.
They had me at Stranger Things. I really hope this is the thriller option for September or even October!
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Release Date: September 19, 2023
From the megabestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive comes another shocking thriller inspired by the real-life sorority and target of America’s first celebrity serial killer.
Dark Ride by Lou Berney
Release Date: September 19, 2023
Twenty-one-year-old Hardy “Hardly” Reed—good-natured, easygoing, usually stoned—is drifting through life. A minimum-wage scare actor at an amusement park, he avoids unnecessary effort and unrealistic ambitions.
Then one day he notices two children, around six or seven, sitting all alone on a bench. Hardly checks if they’re okay and sees injuries on both children. Someone is hurting these kids.
He reports the incident to Child Protective Service.
That should be the end of it…But Hardly also discovers that the situation is more dangerous than he ever expected.
Scens of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon
Release Date: September 5, 2023
An ambitious screenwriter tries to solve her friend’s disappearance by re-creating their fateful final girls’ trip in this riveting locked-room mystery from the author of All Dressed Up.
Romance Predications
Love of My Lives by Yamile Saied Mendez
Release Date: September 26, 2023
Possible October pick/add-on
Brimming with the magic of old San Juan and la Isla del Encanto, this charmingly romantic new novel from Yamile Saied Mendez, acclaimed author of Twice a Quinceañera, is the perfect read for anyone who has longed for a legendary love story that transcends time and distance—and the powerful magic of steering their own dreams. Fans of Emily Henry and Elena Armas will fall for this fresh take on the soulmate trope set against the vivid beauty of Puerto Rico.
Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch
Release date: September 19, 2023
Brain meets Beauty in this sparkling, fresh take on the classic Bringing Up Baby – if Jane Austen had written it! A romantic comedy with a dash of chaos featuring the most ill-behaved poodle in Regency London, by New York Times bestseller Suzanne Enoch.
Love, Holly by Emily Stone
Release date: August 26, 2023
Possible December holiday romance pick
A young woman tries to heal a rift in her elderly pen pal’s family in time for Christmas, all while falling in love—and maybe even reuniting with her own family—in this dazzling romance from the author of Always, in December and One Last Gift.
This is 100% a personal wish, and one that is more likely to show up in December when Book of the Month tends to choose a holiday romance. Emily Stone is my go-to holiday romance author, so I will be purchasing this one either way!
The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser
Release date: September 26, 2023
Possible October pick/add-on
An irresistible friends-to-lovers novel of resilience, hope, and new beginnings from the author of The Bookshop of Second Chances.
The Long Game by Elena Armas
Release date: September 5, 2023
A disgraced soccer exec reluctantly enlists the help of a retired soccer star in coaching a children’s team in this smalltown love story in the vein of Ted Lasso and It Happened One Summer —from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception.
Probably unlikely since Book of the Month doesn’t typically choose spicy romance books.
The Wake Up Call by Beth O’Leary
Release date: September 26, 2023
Possible December holiday romance pick
Two hotel receptionists—and arch-rivals—find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.
This is another holiday romance possibility for December and one I could see Book of the Month going with since Beth O’Leary is a pretty well established author.
The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn
Release date: September 26, 2023
Possible October pick/add-on
A spellbinding, romantic novel about family secrets and two young women who discover they’re Nordic witches.
Unrealistic Expectations by Andie J. Christopher
Release date: September 26, 2023
When a relationship therapist gets dumped right before her new dating handbook hits shelves, she fake dates to save face in this spicy romantic comedy.
Since this is a “spicy romantic comedy,” I doubt it will be a Book of the Month pick but I know a lot of readers will be interested in this one!
Contemporary Fiction Predictions
Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood
Release date: September 5, 2023
Debut author
Bernadette, Eleanor Oliphant, Rosie, Ove . . . meet Amazing Grace Adams, the funny, touching, unforgettable story of an invisible everywoman pushed to the brink―who finally pushes back.
The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar
Release date: September 26, 2023
Also a possible October pick/add-on
A riveting story about uncovering family secrets and the power of forgiveness, set in India and the United States, from the bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick Honor.
The River Runs South by Audrey Ingram
Release date: September 5, 2023
Debut author
This transporting and illuminating debut novel will resonate with readers who have ever felt a little bit lost, perfect for fans of Kristy Woodson Harvey and Linda Holmes. Exploring love, loss, and the courage of starting over fresh, this novel will appeal to readers on the hunt for emotionally rich fiction.
The Second Chance Hotel by Sierra Godfrey
Release date: September 12, 2023
It’s all fun and games until you accidentally marry a stranger in Greece and inherit a hotel.
What Became of Magic by Paige Crutcher
Release date: September 26, 2023
Possible october pick/add-on
From Paige Crutcher, the author of The Orphan Witch and The Lost Witch, comes a new tale about a witch, a book of magic, and a beguiling and powerful creature whom she must free, even if it puts her life and soul at stake.
Given the late September release date and witch-y vibes, I could see this being an October pick if Book of the Month decides to acknowledge spooky season!
Historical Fiction Prediction
All You Have to Do Is Call by Kerri Maher
Release date: September 19, 2023
A dramatic and inspiring novel based on the true story of the Jane Collective and the brave women who fought for our right to choose, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller.
Devil Makes Three by Ben Fountain
Release date: September 26, 2023
From the award-winning, bestselling author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk comes a brilliant and propulsive new novel about greed, power, and American complicity set in Haiti.
Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons
Release date: September 12, 2023
The most exciting historical retelling of 2023: a subversive, powerful untelling of Romeo and Juliet by New York Times bestselling author Natasha Solomons.
A Beautiful Rival by Gill Paul
Release date: September 5, 2023
In this stunning new novel, bestselling author Gill Paul reveals the unknown history of cosmetic titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein and their infamous rivalry that spanned not only decades, but also broken marriages, personal tragedies, and a world that was changing dramatically for women—perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Marie Benedict, and Beatriz Williams.
The Fraud by Zadie Smith
Release date: September 5, 2023
Repeat Author
From acclaimed and bestselling novelist Zadie Smith, a kaleidoscopic work of historical fiction set against the legal trial that divided Victorian England, about who gets to tell their story—and who gets to be believed.
The Golden Gate by Amy Chua
Release date: September 19, 2023
Debut Author
Amy Chua’s debut novel, The Golden Gate, is a sweeping, evocative, and compelling historical thriller that paints a vibrant portrait of a California buffeted by the turbulent crosswinds of a world at war and a society about to undergo massive change.
The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer
Release date: September 5, 2023
Debut Author
For readers of Margaret Atwood and Hilary Mantel, an immersive literary debut inspired by historical events—a deadly witch hunt in 17th-century England—that claimed many innocent lives.
Literary Fiction Predictions
The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger
Release date: September 5, 2023
Repeat Author, possible add-on option
In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by the murder of its most powerful citizen, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances in this dazzling standalone novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the “expansive, atmospheric American saga” (Entertainment Weekly) This Tender Land.
A House for Alice by Diana Evans
Release Date: September 12, 2023
A sweeping and gorgeously rendered exploration of home and yearning, following the fracturing of a family upon the demise of its patriarch.
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum
Release Date: September 5, 2023
Repeat Author, possible add-on option
The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Woman Is No Man returns with a striking exploration of the expectations of Palestinian-American women, the meaning of a fulfilling life, and the ways our unresolved pasts affect our presents.
Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang
Release date: September 26, 2023
Sensuous and surprising, joyous and bitingly sharp, told in language as alluring as it is original, Land of Milk and Honey lays provocatively bare the ethics of seeking pleasure in a dying world. It is a daringly imaginative exploration of desire and deception, privilege and faith, and the roles we play to survive. Most of all, it is a love letter to food, to wild delight, and to the transformative power of a woman embracing her own appetite.
This book is giving me Aardvark Book Club vibes, so I think it would be more likely to be a pick for them in September or October.
Related: Is An Aardvark Book Club Subscription Worth It?
The Storyteller by the Sea by Phyllida Shrimpton
Release date: September 14, 2023
A heartwarming and uplifting new novel, perfect story for fans of Sally Page and Hazel Prior.
The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis
Release date: September 26, 2023
Possible October pick/add-on
From the best-selling author of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, a searing multi-generational novel—set in the 1980s in racially and politically turbulent Philadelphia and in the tiny town of Bonaparte, Alabama—about a mother fighting for her sanity and survival.
The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
Release date: September 12, 2023
Repeat Author
A taut and electrifying novel from celebrated bestselling author Lauren Groff, about one spirited girl alone in the wilderness, trying to survive.
The Wren, the Wren by Anne Enright
Release date: September 19, 2023
An incandescent novel from one of our greatest living novelists (The Times) about the inheritance of trauma, wonder, and love across three generations of women.
Wellness by Nathan Hill
Release date: September 19, 2023
The New York Times best-selling author of The Nix is back with a poignant and witty novel about marriage, the often baffling pursuit of health and happiness, and the stories that bind us together. From the gritty ’90s Chicago art scene to a suburbia of detox diets and home-renovation hysteria, Wellness reimagines the love story with a healthy dose of insight, irony, and heart.
Horror Predictions
And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott
Release date: September 26, 2023
Possibly an October pick/add-on
A mind-bending, razor-sharp look at motherhood and mental health that follows a young Indigenous woman who discovers the picture-perfect life she always hoped for may have horrifying consequences.
Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
Release date: September 26, 2023
Possibly an October pick/add-on
A small town is transformed when seven strange trees begin bearing magical apples in this masterpiece of horror from the bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents.
Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian
Release date: September 19, 2023
From bestselling author Alex Grecian comes a folk horror epic about a ragtag posse that must track down a witch through a wild west beset by demons and ghosts―and where death is always just around the bend.
Fantasy/Magical Realism Predictions
Athena’s Child by Hannah Lynn
Release date: September 26, 2023
First book in a Series, possible october pick/add-on
For readers of Madeleine Miller and Claire Heywood comes the story of the most infamous monster of Greek mythology: Medusa.
First, they loved her. Then, they abused her. Finally, they made her a villain.
Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong
Release date: September 26, 2023
Repeat Author, Possible add-on, Possible October pick/add-on
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the second book in the captivating Foul Lady Fortune duology following an immortal assassin in 1930s Shanghai as she races to save her country and her love.
I think it would be a stretch for Book of the Month to pick this since they just had Chloe Gong’s adult debut as a pick in July. However, I can also see them offering it as an add-on since it is the last book in the duology. I’ll be interested to see what happens with this one. It was on my list of predictions before the July picks were released, and I debated leaving it on my September list, but here we are!
The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft
Release date: September 26, 2023
First Book in a Series, Possible October pick/add-on
The Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, are quite accustomed to helping desperate clients with the bugbears of city life. Aided by hexes and a bag of charmed relics, the Wilbies have recovered children abducted by chimney-wraiths, removed infestations of barb-nosed incubi, and ventured into the Gray Plains of the Unmade to soothe a troubled ghost. Well-acquainted with the weird, they never shy away from a challenging case.
I highly doubt this is a pick, but I wanted to share it anyway!
Do you agree with my predictions? What are some of your September Book of the Month predictions? Let me know in the comments!
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One of them will be Tastes Like Shakkar. I saw the three clues and remembered the book from your list last month. It’s a bit annoying because an Aug. 1st release shouldn’t be a September pick imo.