September 2026 Book of the Month Predictions

Book of the Month is a subscription box in which members choose up to 3 hardcover books to receive each month. Once you become a BOTM BFF, you can receive up to 5 books per month.
You can sign up here to get your first book for $5.

Every month, I make pretty accurate (80-100%) predictions about which books will be featured by Book of the Month (BOTM). I take a lot of time to research upcoming releases, analyze past selections, and choose books that are solid bets.

I think that May books will most likely drop on Monday, August 31st or Tuesday, September 1st.

Literary Fiction

I wavered whether to include a few books but ultimately ruled them out (including Heavy Cream by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, The Radiance by Ayad Akhtar, Female Life on Plane Earth by Laleh Khadivi, Switzy by Emma Cline, Lords of Serendipity by Randy Boyagoda, The Strangers by Naomi Alderman, and Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason).

Fallow

Sarah Anderson

Synopsis: Slyly funny and disarmingly tender, Fallow is the story of a young woman who signs up to be the world’s first in-house corporate surrogate, then finds herself caught up in a social experiment of another kind.

Debut

Exit Party

Emily St. John Mandel

Synopsis: The award-winning, bestselling author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility returns with a breathtaking novel of doubles, shadow worlds, and fractured timelines as a man disappears from a glittering Los Angeles party, and a woman—a gunrunner, an art collector, an operative of the State—searches for answers.

Under Story

Chloe Benjamin

Synopsis: The New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists returns with an intimate yet epic love story—and a sweeping odyssey of scientific discovery. Under Story invites us to consider the promise of this life, what might lie beyond it, and how far we would go for more time with the people we love, cementing Chloe Benjamin’s place among our best, and most lasting, storytellers.

The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman

Deesha Philyaw

Synopsis: The wife of a popular and powerful megachurch pastor upends her charmed “rags-to-Rolex” life when her secret past comes roaring into the spotlight—in this “funny and juicy and sexy and delicious peek behind the pulpit” (Samantha Irby) from the acclaimed and beloved author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.

Early Release

American Hagwon

Min Jin Lee

Synopsis: The National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Pachinko returns with a breathtaking contemporary epic: a masterpiece by turns sweeping and intimate, that reckons with ambition and moderation, lust and loyalty, personal dreams and familial duty.

Repeat Author

Queenie Is Working on It

Candice Carty-Williams

Synopsis: Candice Carty-Williams, internationally bestselling author of Queenie, reunites us with the iconic character nearly ten years on, facing new chaotic choices in life and love with cherished old friends and family in this highly anticipated sequel.

Repeat Author

The Thoroughbreds

Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham

Synopsis: Class is back in session! New York Times bestselling authors of The Academy Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham return with The Thoroughbreds: what has more high-stakes drama, tension, and intrigue than senior year at a New England boarding school?

Repeat Author


Historical Fiction

I also considered The Weight of Angels by John Boyne. It is possible that May We Feed the King by Rebeca Perry could be The Offset pick.

The Oxford Guide to Scandal & Lies

Kate Westbury

Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of post-WWII Oxford University, The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies is the irresistible debut from Kate Westbury that seamlessly layers mystery, romance, and a dash of academia to introduce the Crown’s newest undercover operatives.

Debut

The Pirate Queen

Ariel Lawhon

Synopsis: A sweeping historical adventure inspired by the life of Grace O’Malley, the legendary Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people. Venture onto the high seas with the thrilling latest from the New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River and I Was Anastasia.

Repeat Author


Romance

I considered but then ruled out Reign by Bethan Croome. If there is an early release, I think it could be Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson.

If Not You

Ellen O’Clover

Synopsis: Five years of history. Four weeks on the road. Two rival copywriters learning love is the hardest sell of all.

Debut

Divine Oaths

Elizabeth Agyemang

Synopsis: Ninth House meets Legendborn in this thrilling dark academia novel following a new student fueled by questions about her prestigious university and the haunting answers she uncovers as her heart pulls her in two different, dangerous directions.

Debut

A Study in Sparkling

Jodi McAlister

Synopsis: The author of the “brilliant” (Library JournalAn Academic Affair proves that the best love stories start with a pop with this sizzling romance about a recently separated single mom who’s absolutely not looking for another relationship…only to fall for the younger owner of her favorite wine bar.

Repeat Author

Grim Tidings

B.K. Borison

Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison comes a new whimsical, haunting romance. When a runaway grim reaper tries to save a life, she clashes with a skeptical Guardian, forcing them to form an unlikely partnership beyond the grave.

Repeat Author

See You Next Tuesday

Kate Stayman-London

Synopsis: For fans of The West Wing and When Harry Met Sally, a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance featuring two campaign staffers who agree on their politics but disagree on everything else—from the bestselling author of One to Watch.

Repeat Author


Thrillers, Mysteries, & Crime Fiction

I also waffled about a number of books, including .

Call Off the Dark

Hallie Shepherd

Synopsis: A haunting, atmospheric debut thriller with a love story at its heart, following a feisty young woman caught between her husband and a mysterious stranger who disturbs their off-grid life in rural Washington.

Debut

Children of the Wolf

Abby Geni

Synopsis: A woman notices a pattern of men disappearing in her small town, reawakening memories of her childhood raised by a father obsessed with his violent Viking heritage.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper

Liz Nugent

Synopsis: From the internationally bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond comes a twisted suspense novel about two sisters and the scandal that changes their lives forever. If my sister hadn’t been beautiful, none of it would have happened.

Before You Were Anne

Emiko Jean

Synopsis: After a woman is killed and her daughter vanishes, detective Chelsey Calhoun uncovers a legacy of violence and survival that spans from Japan to Seattle in this propulsive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Return of Ellie Black.

Repeat Author

We Chase Shadows

Richard Osman

Synopsis: Back together. Back on the case. And back to solving murders . . . At sunrise, high in the Italian hills, a body is found on the steps of a beautiful private villa. On the body is a threatening note, signed by a mystery man.

Repeat Author


Horror & Gothic Fiction

Dreamland

Olivie Blake

Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake comes a tantalizing story of power, seduction, and the omens you’ll ignore when everything you’ve dreamed of feels just within reach.

Kiss Slay Replay

Rachel Harrison

Synopsis: Every wedding guest’s worst nightmare is on repeat in this wild and twisty new horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of So Thirsty and Play Nice.

Repeat Author


Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Magical Realism


I wavered whether to include The Emperor’s Enemy by Jasmine Mas, The Court of Venus by Bel Banta, Tempest by Victoria Aveyard, and Harbinger by Geneva Lee, but I do not think they will be picks.

Witch Daughter

Tanaz Bhathena

Synopsis: In her adult debut, award-winning author Tanaz Bhathena expertly weaves a tale of love and loss in ancient Persia with her take on the timeless tragedy of Tahmineh, a temptress, a witch, a victim, or, perhaps, a woman trying her hardest to protect her loved ones.

Debut

The Wretched Divine

Adalyn Grace

Synopsis: The heart-pounding adult debut from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Adalyn Grace, about an ancient war between angels and demons, and the human knight determined to end it at any cost.

Paper Ghosts

Sarah Addison Allen

Synopsis: Every family has its secrets . . .The Wester women live inside theirs. Part ghost story, part love story and steeped in magical realism, Paper Ghosts will transport you to a place where old secrets echo through the years and love finds a way of bringing us home. 

Repeat Author

Dead Beat

Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis: The highly anticipated, explosive conclusion to the Ninth House trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Repeat Author

The Witches of Cambridge

Alice Hoffman

Synopsis: The brand-new series from the bestselling author of Practical Magic, following two brilliant young women in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, as they become immersed in a mysterious secret group of witches at Radcliffe known as the Lilith Society.

Repeat Author


Nonfiction

The Vanishing Family: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia

Robert Kolker

Synopsis: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road comes the heart-wrenching journey of a family facing an unthinkable destiny, whose flawed genetic code might hold the long-sought key to a cure for dementia.