(Books)
The New Book Launches To Add To Your Fall Reading List
Cozy up with these reads.
Let’s be real: When it comes to fall activities, nothing beats sitting by the fire, pumpkin spice latte in one hand and a book in the other. Fortunately, right now that’s easy to do — not only because there’s an abundance of autumnal drinks available out there, but also because the fall book launches this year are both plentiful and just plain good.
This is the time of year when big hitters are released, and in 2022, that’s more true than ever. Names you’ll undoubtedly recognize are among the list of authors with new books this season, including Michelle Obama, who’s back with another wisdom-filled read, as well as Little Fires Everywhere author Celeste Ng with Our Missing Hearts, a suspenseful new novel that’s described as a story “about the unbreakable love between a mother and child in a society consumed by fear.”
In addition, the fall drops have garnered significant attention: Ng’s aforementioned novel as well as Margaret Wilkerson Sexton’s On the Rooftop are both Reese’s Book Club Picks, with rave reviews from Witherspoon herself. And she’s not the only celebrity to profess their admiration for the latest to hit the literary scene. Gabrielle Union took note of fashion and beauty insider Danielle Prescod’s memoir, Token Black Girl, dubbing it “an essential read.”
There’s even more to discover this fall, both new and forthcoming, and all worthy of your undivided attention. So grab a PSL, light up the fire, and get cozy as you dive into TZR’s top picks.
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Token Black Girl: A Memoir
This memoir by Prescod looks back at her life, from growing up Black in a mostly white community to being surrounded by racist and sexist standards in the media industry, and her story of recovery from harmful concepts of perfection and the effects of white supremacy. “This is an essential read to understand how beauty standards and media industry affect Black women in America,” read a review from Union of the recently released book.
On the Rooftop
This Reese’s Book Club Pick, which Witherspoon herself called “an utterly original and brilliant story,” tells the story of a mother in a gentrifying 1950s San Francisco, whose career ambitions for her daughters clash with their own. “[On the Rooftop] beautifully captures the complicated emotions that arise when a parent realizes that what she wants for her kids doesn’t necessarily align with what they need,” Time wrote of the novel.
Killers of a Certain Age
New York Times best-selling author Deanna Raybourn takes readers on an unexpected ride in Killers of a Certain Age. The book follows four 60-year-old women, all career assassins, as they embark on a retirement vacation — and are targeted themselves. As BuzzFeed put it: “This Golden Girls meets James Bond thriller is a journey you want to be part of.”
The Book of Goose
In The Book of Goose, author Yiyun Li takes readers through a tale of two friends, Agnès and Fabienne, living in war-ravaged France. When Fabienne devises a life-changing plan, everything is upended, putting Agnès on an unexpected path. “Bringing to mind Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend, by way of Anita Brookner’s quietly dramatic prose, [The Book of Goose] makes for a powerful Cinderella fable with memorable characters,” said Publishers Weekly.
The Furrows
Namwali Serpell’s novel, The Furrows, centers on the character Cassandra Williams, whose seven-year-old brother disappears when she’s 12. As she moves through her life and reckons with her grief, the story explores the ways in which loss and longing can blur memory and reality. “Let this breathtaking novel roll over you in waves,” said Esquire.
The Light We Carry
“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” wrote Obama — the idea that forms the basis of this forthcoming book (Nov. 15). A follow-up to her memoir Becoming, The Light We Carry draws from the former first lady’s experiences and myriad roles to provide readers with tools to help overcome the challenges life presents.
Marie Kondo's Kurashi at Home
For an easier (but no less interesting) read this fall, there’s also Marie Kondo's Kurashi at Home, to be released on Nov. 15. Following The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, this visual guide is inspired by the Japanese concept of kurashi, or “way of life,” and provides ideas on how to ensure your home and your life reflect what you love. “Your newfound clarity will inspire you to clear out the unneeded clutter so you can appreciate the inviting spaces, treasured belongings, and peaceful moments that remain,” reads the description.
Our Missing Hearts
Ng is back with another novel, this time about Bird Gardner’s journey to find the reason behind his mother’s abandonment of his family when he was nine. Says the description, “It's a story about the power — and limitations — of art to create change, the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and how any of us can survive a broken world with our hearts intact.”
