Goodreads’ selection of the biggest fall debut novels includes a mix of familiar names and newcomers, and a variety of genres and categories, making for an exciting season of discovery. These books hitting U.S. shelves August through early December include three big names—one from an unexpected space:

Trying to fit more global settings into your reading repertoire? Try these debuts from across the pond:

Fall debuts longlisted for The Center for Fiction 2026 First Novel Prize include:

—SW

Kennedy Ryan is having a great year. Her new book, Score, is a bestseller, she got a splashy feature in The New York Times this spring, and she landed a first-look deal with Universal Studio Group to develop several of her projects. 

Ryan writes sexy, emotional stories that center Black women, women of color, and marginalized communities. One minute you’re fanning yourself, the next you’re reaching for tissues, making that sweet, sweet HEA all the more satisfying. And while the breakout success of Before I Let Go changed the trajectory of her career, she’d been putting in the work for years.

Whether you’ve been Kennedy-curious for some time or just got hip to her game, consider this your invitation to step into her world. With a deep bench of over 20 books in her backlist, you might not know where to start. Here’s what we recommend.

For detailed descriptions of each title and more about Queen Kennedy, check out our full reading pathway. —VD

A second chance with her first crush

Childhood best friends are reunited in Emerald Alexandrea’s The Music of Us, as Lucy, unexpectedly spending her last summer before college trying to save her family’s struggling cat café, calls in a favor from her first crush, Jake Moody. 

It’s been four years since Lucy last saw Jake, who departed for a big audition moments after giving her her first kiss, and since then, he’s become a world-famous boy band star. When Jake returns home to host a fundraiser for the café, old feelings resurface. Will the now-famous boy fall for the girl who knew him when? 

Put this cozy, music-centered romance at the top of your summer reading list.

Anthony Bourdain fans have been anxiously awaiting the release of Matt Johnson’s new film Tony, which hits theaters this week. Emphasis on anxiously.

We’re delighted (and relieved, tbh) to see that the early reviews are generally positive, especially for Dominic Sessa’s portrayal of the titular Tony.

Here’s a sample platter:

A coming-of-age story set over “one crazy summer” is a concept nearly as old as filmmaking, but Johnson’s script— co-written by Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, and Lou Howe—never lingers too long in any of its admittedly familiar beats, allowing Sessa’s nuanced performance to do the emotional lifting instead. —Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

To me, one of the most pleasurable things in movies is that moment when you see an actor become a movie star. That’s what happens to Dominic Sessa in “Tony.” I don’t care if the film is a summer indie smash or not (though it deserves to be) — it shows you that Sessa has the goods… —Owen Gleiberman, Variety

It’s easy to forget, watching this bright but troubled young man struggle to find his place in the world, that he will grow up to be a figure so many people looked to for guidance on how to forge their own paths. Even if Tony were not a biopic at all, but simply the fictional story of one screwed-up kid’s transformative summer working in a restaurant kitchen, it would be a movie worth watching. — Dana Stevens, Slate

🎧 Get the whole story of Bourdain’s life and the legacy of Kitchen Confidential.

The most popular audiobooks on Libby this summer— June 1st – July 31st to be precise—have been tallied, and there are a few surprises.

What’s not surprising, and something I find most times I look at the most popular ebooks or audiobooks on Libby, is that the list mirrors bestseller lists. This means that the list is also lacking in diversity.

Also, the #1 spot is not Yesteryear…

Some of Libby’s Most Popular Audiobooks This Summer

*Note: you may have to toggle to view the audiobook selection

20. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, narrated by Jefferson White

8. Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden, narrated by Julia Whelan, January LaVoy, Scott Brick

6. I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney, narrated by Sean Patrick Hopkins

2. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, narrated by Rebecca Lowman

1. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, narrated by Jenna Lamia, January LaVoy

🎧 The full list. —EE

When rivals collide, sparks will fly.

Fantasy meets sports romance in The Winged Game by Sophie Kim, a sizzling slow-burn novel in which the disgraced star of a brutal magical sport must team up with the rival who destroyed her career. 

New York Times bestselling author Ruby Dixon raves: “Sophie Kim is a genius! Fourth Wing-meets-rugby is something I didn’t know I needed in my life, but now I’m obsessed. This has everything romantasy fans are looking for—from fake dating to found family to bonding with intelligent fantastical beasts.”

Are scratch-and-sniff covers the future of physical books?

After years of special editions, including unique cover designs and sprayed edges, one publisher has gone for the sensory experience of print books.

Earlier this year, Sarah at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, wrote about how books are becoming luxury items, and it’s hard not to think about her provocative insights as they relate to things like scratch-and-sniff book covers. The interactive element is fun and unique, but ultimately, what’s the point?

In an era when fewer young people–and adults!–are reading for recreation, it’s hard not to wonder what the point is. These are books for teen readers, and for years, experts and advocates for teens have been sounding the alarm on the need for more YA for younger teen readers, as well as a reminder that YA books are for teens. 

Buying books and reading books are two different hobbies, and as books are increasingly aesthetic objects, it’s worth considering who the audience is for a smelly book and why the book’s writing isn’t enough to create a scent sensory experience. – KJ

Greek mythology retellings have seen a resurgence of popularity thanks to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. But often missing from these lists are books by Greek authors. As Greek author and poet Avra Margariti puts it,

My theory is that U.S.-born writers seek Greek mythology as an open source that belongs to no one (therefore, it belongs to everyone). So they claim this mythology as the shared creative world they crave.

For more, check out Lyndsie Manusos’s essay about how Greek authors have been erased during a wave of Greek mythology retellings.

Here are a few Greek mythology retellings by Greek authors to get you started.

As well as books by Greek authors, recommendations of Greek mythology retellings are often missing titles by authors of color, so here are a few to add to your TBR:

—DE

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Did you know? In protest of the University of Kentucky’s coal investments, Berry removed his papers from its research library. They are now at the Kentucky Historical Society.

🤖 Fight big tech overreach with an AI reading syllabus.

🏆 Scope out the finalists for the World Fantasy Awards.

📓 Start a journaling practice with tips from a bestselling author.

🙋‍♀️ Test your ability to recognize literary lines about summer.

🖤 Fall for the bad guys in these romantasy books starring anti-villains.

Written by Rebecca Schinsky, Sharifah Williams, Erica Ezeifedi, Kelly Jensen, Danika Ellis, Vanessa Diaz, and Jeff O’Neal. Thanks to Vanessa Diaz for copy editing.

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