Books on Deck: October 2024

October is looking like it could be a real banger of a month. Here are the eight books that are calling out to me.

October is showing up and showing out with book releases this year. I was told that fall 2024 would be light on books because of the election, but my TBR says otherwise. I will say, most of the books on this list are from heavy hitters which leads me to believe publishers only wanted to release new work from authors they felt could compete with the chaos that is the Kamala vs. the worst person you’ve ever had to watch on TV. Hopefully these books can stand up to whatever October surprise is headed our way.

Below are the books I’ve aggressively had my eye on all year. At the end of this post you’ll also find a handful of books I am hoping to dip into as the month goes on, but aren’t at the tip top of my list. Though, last month I read more of the list in this bottom section than I did from the main list, so who knows at this point. This list is organized by pub date. Anything I have already read (or at least started) is in bold.

As a reminder, I try my hardest to keep this lists manageable and free to all. I am only sharing the books I am truly excited about for the month, and not just the buzzy books you can see on all the lists. If you like this list and want more bookish goodness in your inbbox, subscribe to Unstacked.

Here are my most anticipated books of October!

• Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win by Jessica Valenti (October 1)
  I don’t want to be too presumptuous here, but I feel like the title says it all. Yes, I want to read whatever Jessica Valenti has to offer us on the most politically resonate battle of the moment.

• The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich (October 1)
  Louise Erdrich is doing a love triangle and cli-fi all in one? Sign me up.

• The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates (October 1)
  There is new Coates. I repeat there is new Coates.

• Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . .: A Love Story by Jason Reynolds (October 8)
  Jason is back with a love story about a boy on the verge of loosing his virginity? Say less.

• Forest of Noise by Mosab Abu Toha (October 15)
  A collection of poems from a Palestinian poet who wrote through the last year of war and violence that has been leveled against his home and community in Gaza.

• The Indian Card: Who Gets to Be Native in America by Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz (October 15)
  This work of nonfiction explores tribal enrollment and what it means to be Native American in the United States.

• Sonny Boy by Al Pacino (October 15)
  At NYU I studied at the Lee Strasberg Studio so Al Pacino was something of a method acting icon for us. Not to mention my voice and speech teacher had some very interesting stories about her (alleged) affair with him. I have to know if she is in this book. Also, he is one of our great living actors…but mostly I’m in it to corroborate gossip.

• The Life and Death of Ryan White: AIDS and Inequality in America by Paul M. Renfro (October 22)
  I remember learning about Ryan White after he died (I think it was actually in 2009 when Michael Jackson died, they had a friendship, which I know is complicated AF). I was too young to see and understand Ryan White during his life, but ever since I learned about his popularity I have been intrigued by a child with AIDS becoming a huge celebrity in the 1980’s. This book digs into Ryan’s story and what his life and death meant for the HIV/AIDS epidemic, media coverage, and the performance of celebrity.

And in case that wasn’t enough for you, here are a few more books I am curious about that are coming out this month.

• Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten (October 1)

• Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah, illustrated by Sabina Hahn (October 8)

• Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham (Author) Jim McCloskey (October 15)

• Wild Faith: How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America by Talia Lavin (October 15)

Now it’s your turn. Tell me what books are on your October must read list?

You can always see the forthcoming books (for October and beyond) I’m looking forward over on bookshop.org!

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