Summer is gone, and with it the stacks of beach reads, summer novels and sometimes the time to read all the books. But with fall comes curling up under blankets, reading by the fire pit and enjoying a nice, warm drink with your favorite book.
But what should you read? You don’t want fantasyland and beachfront romances taking you away from life. You also might not be quite ready for Christmas stories (but if you are, we don’t judge too harshly). So, we’ve done some work for you. Here’s a list of 16 books we’re excited about reading this fall.
A Promised Land by former President Barack Obama
Regardless of politics, this might be the most anticipated book of this fall. In it former President Barack Obama tells the first part of his story. From finding himself to becoming president, it’s a life of transformation and turmoil. And everyone’s going to be talking about it.
Brave Women, Strong Faith: Inspiring Stories by Military Women and Wives
Military spouses often consider themselves to be stronger together, and that’s exactly what this book is about. A collaborative effort from 20 military women and military spouses, this book covers topics ranging from marriage and motherhood to grief and mental health.
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
When Brooklyn native Sydney and her new, unlikely friend Theo, start researching their neighborhood’s Black history, they discover something horrifying: black neighbors go missing in shocking numbers and white gentrifiers move in like it’s no big deal.
The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett
Ken Follett writes masterful, detailed novels. For fans of “The Pillars of the Earth”, this sequel will not be disappointing. Set in England at the dawn of the Middle Ages, Follett gives us the beginning of the story.
Beautifully Broken: An Unlikely Journey of Faith by Paige and Josh Wetzel
Army wife Paige Wetzel’s world was rocked when her husband was injured in Afghanistan and lost both of his legs. She shares her struggles physically, emotionally and spiritually as a caregiver in this vulnerable telling of her story.
The Return by Nicholas Sparks
An injured sailor returns home to New Bern, North Carolina, and tends to the beehives at his grandfather’s old cabin – and then he meets a girl. In traditional Sparks style, romance and heartache come together to tell a story of how hardship can move you forward when you least expect it.
Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
From the author of “Practical Magic,” this new book starts the story in the 1600s in Salem, with a touch of the Salem Witch Trials thrown in. A perfect read leading into Halloween, you’ll learn about Maria who travels from England to the Caribbean and eventually, to America.
Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten
Reading cookbooks may not be your thing, but eating food probably is. Ina Garten shares over 80 new recipes in her new cookbook, which is good because it’s time for comfort food, again.
The Nightworkers by Brian Selfon
Crime drama is a hot topic, and this book brings you a different perspective on that. Shecky Keenan, the well-meaning head of a Brooklyn family crime syndicate, just wants to live a low-key life. But threats from all sides make that hard. You’ll love the twists and turns this journey takes.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
In his memoir, Matthew McConaughey, shares lessons learned – along with some great stories and bits of wisdom – about living life satisfied. It’s candid, it’s an autobiography and it’s a self-proclaimed love letter to life.
The Arrest by Jonathan Lethem
Imagine a world without electronics and appliances, and you’ll be right in the middle of this book. Post-apocalyptic stories may feel a little too real, this one is just wild enough to make you think about what exactly would happen if even one of these events occurred – because the option of all of them happening at once is just too scary.
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
Travel back to 1634 and imagine you’re in trouble on the high seas. That’s exactly where Samuel Pipps the world’s great detective is as he’s scheduled for execution for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Can his loyal friend solve the mystery and Pipps in time?
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
Brown has given us a lot of advice – some we’ve wanted to hear and most we haven’t. But this tenth-anniversary edition of her bestseller has some new things included, like a new foreward and some new tools to make the application of said advice even easier.
A Time for Mercy by John Grisham
Best-selling author John Grisham has listened to fans and has brought back Jake Brigance, the hero of “A Time to Kill.” We’re taken back to Clanton, Mississippi in the 1990s where a young boy is accused of killing a cop. You know it’s going to be a wild ride, an intense trial and full of twists.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
If you enjoyed/cried a lot after reading “A Man Called Ove,” then you should definitely put the latest by Fredrik Backman on your list. When a bank robber on the run locks himself in with a group of dysfunctional people and then lets them all go, the police have to figure out what happened -- and where the robber went.
Simmer Down by Sarah Smith
Books about food are wonderful and this food truck romance by Sarah Smith is a fun read. Set in Hawaii, two food truck owners are competing for business – one makig Filipino dishes and ons serving up fish and chips. You know how this is going to end, right? Maybe they get together, maybe they don’t. But either way, the food is going to be good.
Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life
For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox.
--Rebecca Alwine can be reached at rebecca.alwine@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebecca_alwine.
