My Fall 2026 Reading List: 24 Books on My TBR

I read year-round, but there’s something about Fall that makes picking up a book feel even better. Give me a cozy blanket, something warm to drink, and a stack of books I’m overly optimistic I’ll finish, and I’m happy.

This year’s Fall TBR books include a little bit of everything—book club picks, cozy seasonal reads, historical fiction, new releases, and a few mysteries and thrillers. Some have been waiting on my list for a while, while others are soon to be released (but feel free to pre-order).

So, here are 24 books on my Fall 2026 reading list I'm hoping to get through… or at least make a respectable dent in.

→ [View My Entire Fall 2026 Reading List Here]

Up First: My Fall Book Club Picks

These four are already on my reading calendar, thanks to my two book clubs.

1. What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan | Mystery/Thriller

Nina and Simon leave for a weekend at his family’s cabin, but only Simon returns home. As their families search for answers and the case takes over social media, accusations and conspiracy theories begin to overshadow the truth. I’m currently reading this one for book club, and it pulled me in almost immediately.

2. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy | Literary Fiction/Mystery

A woman washes ashore on a remote island where a father and his three children are preparing to leave before rising waters make it uninhabitable. Between the isolated setting, dangerous storms, and secrets everyone seems to be keeping, this sounds incredibly atmospheric. It’s our October book club pick and feels perfectly timed for Fall.

3. My Friends by Fredrik Backman | Literary Fiction

A young woman becomes fascinated by a famous painting and the three figures hidden within it, leading her to the story of four teenagers whose friendship changed their lives—and eventually hers. I’ve heard this is a beautiful, emotional story about friendship and the people who shape us—a perfect book pick for November.

4. The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston | Contemporary Fiction

When a case of mistaken identity gives a lonely 82-year-old man an unexpected place in a nursing home, Frederick finds himself surrounded by the family and community he’s been missing. I’ve heard this described as the warmest, most wholesome hug of a book, so I’m especially excited that it’s our December pick.

Give Me All the Cozy Vibes

These are the books I want to read curled up under a blanket with a hot cup of tea.

5. Shady Hollow by Juneau Black | Cozy Mystery

In the woodland village of Shady Hollow, local reporter Vera Vixen begins investigating when one of the town’s residents turns up dead. I’ve heard these books are best enjoyed for exactly what they are—light, whimsical mysteries featuring woodland creatures. There are currently six books in the series, so this could become a full Fall reading rabbit hole.

6. A Witch's Guide To Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna | Cozy Fantasy/Romance

A former powerful witch runs a magical inn filled with an unusual collection of guests while searching for a way to restore her lost magic. I absolutely loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, so another warm, whimsical fantasy from Sangu Mandanna—with found family and a little romance—sounds perfect for Fall.

7. The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman | Contemporary Romance

After losing her job and ending a relationship, an event planner returns to her family’s struggling inn on Long Island—and reconnects with a childhood friend in the process. An apple orchard, a charming inn, and a second-chance-at-home storyline? This sounds like the kind of cozy Fall read I want to enjoy beside a fire.

8. The Farewitch of Foxe Holler by Ellen Pauley Goff | Cozy Fantasy/Romance

Honey Frost is a thirty-something kitchen witch who uses enchanted baked goods to help the residents of her small Appalachian town. Between the family bakery, Southern small-town charm, culinary magic, and a slow-burn romance, this sounds like the warm and comforting Fall read I’ve been trying to find.

Historical Fiction, My Forever Favorite

I can't have a Fall reading list without a few historical novels.

9. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett | Historical Fiction

Set in Mississippi during the Great Depression, this sweeping story brings together an 11-year-old orphan and a group of underestimated women determined to take control of their own lives. This is Kathryn Stockett’s first novel since The Help, and it has been getting so much buzz. At more than 600 pages, it’s a commitment—but I keep hearing it’s worth it.

10. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah | Historical Fiction

In 1970s Alaska, a family searching for a fresh start moves into an isolated cabin and quickly discovers that the wilderness isn’t the only danger they face. Kristin Hannah is one of those authors I’ll read without needing much convincing. She has such a gift for making you feel every emotion alongside her characters, so I already know this one may wreck me a little.

11. Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson | Historical Fiction

Set after World War II, this story follows three people whose lives become intertwined through the search for displaced and missing children. It explores identity, belonging, and the far-reaching effects of war across countries and generations. I’ve heard wonderful things about Sadeqa Johnson’s writing, and the history behind this one immediately caught my attention.

12. The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin | Historical Fiction

In Victorian London, four women form a secret book society where they can read freely, share their truths, and find refuge from the expectations controlling their lives. A hidden library, forbidden books, and women finding strength through friendship immediately caught my attention. It sounds atmospheric and empowering, with just enough mystery to make it an especially good Fall read.

From the Depths of My TBR

I bought some of these with the best intentions… and then allowed them to sit patiently on my bookshelf.

13. The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O'Neill | Literary Fiction/Family Drama

Three sisters return to their family home on Long Island for Thanksgiving, each carrying grief and guilt surrounding their brother’s death years earlier. When someone from their past unexpectedly arrives, long-buried secrets begin coming to the surface. This received so much attention in 2025 that I bought it… and then promptly left it sitting on my shelf. This Fall, it’s finally happening.

14. Buckeye by Patrick Ryan | Historical Fiction

Beginning in a small Ohio town at the end of World War II, Buckeye follows two families whose lives become intertwined by one impulsive decision and the secrets that follow. This was another heavily talked-about book I bought in 2025 and never actually opened. A sweeping, multigenerational historical novel feels perfect for Fall, so I’m determined to finally read it.

15. The Names by Florence Knapp | Literary Fiction

After the birth of her son, a mother considers three different names—and the novel follows the three very different lives that could unfold from that one choice. I love an interesting, slightly unusual premise, and I kept seeing this book everywhere in 2025. It’s been waiting patiently on my list ever since.

16. Wreck by Catherine Newman | Contemporary Fiction

This follow-up to Sandwich returns to Rocky and her wonderfully messy family as she navigates health worries, aging parents, and the constant anxiety of loving people deeply. It sounds funny, honest, and comforting in the way everyday family stories can be. It has been on my TBR for nearly a year, and something about it feels like a slow, relaxing Fall read.

New Releases I Have My Eye One

Some are already released, and others are coming soon. You can pre-order now!

17. Whistler by Ann Patchett | Literary Fiction

A chance meeting reunites a woman with the former stepfather she hasn’t seen in years, bringing them both back to the choices and moments that shaped their lives. Ann Patchett writes with so much warmth and thoughtfulness that reading her work always feels relaxing—even when the story carries emotional weight.

18. The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon | Historical Fiction

Inspired by the life of legendary Irish pirate Grace O’Malley, this sweeping historical adventure follows a woman who defies convention to protect her family and her people. I absolutely loved The Frozen River (my top book of 2025), so Ariel Lawhon has officially become one of those authors whose books I’ll pick up and read blindly.

19. Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult | Contemporary Fiction/Family Drama

Moving between the past and present, Hollow Bones centers on mothers, daughters, and the stories people create to survive their most difficult moments. I don’t need much more information than that because, honestly, Jodi Picoult can do no wrong. I already know this will be emotional, complicated, and impossible to stop thinking about.

20. The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw | Literary Fiction

The wife of a powerful megachurch pastor watches her carefully constructed life begin to unravel when secrets from her past come into the spotlight. With church politics, family, identity, and plenty of scandal involved, this sounds sharp, layered, and completely different from anything else on my Fall list.

A Little Mystery for Fall

Because apparently cozy reading season also makes me want to investigate a fictional murder or two.

21. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth | Mystery/Thriller

At 81, Elsie has spent decades hiding the fact that she was once known as Mad Mabel—Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. When a neighbor dies and people start paying closer attention to her, the story she has kept buried begins to come out. This has received so much buzz, and I keep hearing that it’s both entertaining and unexpectedly heartfelt.

22. Good People by Patmeena Sabit | Literary Mystery

After tragedy strikes a successful Afghan American family, the people around them begin telling conflicting versions of who they were—and what may have happened. Told through multiple perspectives, the story continually asks readers to reconsider what they think they know. This sounds like the kind of layered mystery that would create a really good book-club discussion.

23. Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty | Mystery/Domestic Fiction

More than a decade after Big Little Lies, Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie are back—this time navigating teenage children, changing relationships, and a new mystery that threatens to bring old truths to the surface. I loved the first book and the TV show, so I can't wait to find out where these women are now… and what they’ve gotten themselves into this time.

24. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter | Mystery/Romance

When a billionaire’s grandson appears to be murdered during his family’s Christmas party, the housekeeper’s daughter becomes the prime suspect—even though she knows he isn’t actually dead. I read The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year and thought it was funny, ridiculous, cozy, and incredibly predictable… in the most entertaining way. I’m hoping this gives me that same Fall-to-Christmas reading experience.

24 books may be a little ambitious for one season, but making the list was half the fun. I’m sure a few unexpected books will sneak in along the way—and a few of these may still be waiting for me when winter arrives.

What are your Fall TBR books? Let me know what you’re reading or which book from this Fall 2026 reading list I should start first!