Best Books to Read in October 2026

From science fiction to romance and thrillers, here are the best books you will find on bookstore shelves in October 2026.

We don't know about you, but October is one of our favorite months to cozy up and settle in with a good book, and there are plenty to choose from this month.

From the highly anticipated editions of Veronica Roth, V.E. Schwab, and Sarah J. Moss has something for every kind of reader in the new stories by Jason Rekulak and Jane Schoenbrunn. These are the best new books of October 2026 worth picking up…

Derek Konsken's Quantum Evolution series is back, with the fourth book hitting our shelves later this month. And if it's already passed you by, or you want to reacquaint yourself with the world before tackling the final story, there's still plenty of time to do so.

The fourth book picks up at the end of the Quantum War, with Belisarius sucked into a collapsing wormhole. So, it's up to Cassandra, Rosalie, Saint Matthew and their friend Stiles to travel through time to find him. But, as you might imagine in a series like this, things don't go exactly as planned.

Even with Rosalie's distinct and powerful nightmares that seem to message them from somewhere in the wormhole network, she takes them back to its ancient beginnings and the very dawn of the world to hopefully bring her back.

After speaking exclusively with Veronica Roth earlier this summer, we're counting down the days until her latest book — and her return to the Divergent Universe — hits our shelves. And finally the time has come.

Rather than being a spin-off, sequel, or prequel, The Sixth Faction asks and answers the question of what would have happened if Beatrice "Tris" had made a different choice at her selection ceremony. If you've read the previous books or watched the movie adaptations, you know that he eventually leaves his home and loved ones in Abnegation to join the Dauntless.

However, this time tragedy strikes as he makes his decision and changes the course of his future in an instant. And with Roth confirming that the new book will "deal with parts of dystopian Chicago that you didn't see in the original Divergent series" and that "it felt like we were building a new world in an old world," we're very excited to be reunited with Tris and the world we fell in love with so many years ago.

See what the cat dragged in by Jason Reklock

With Halloween just a few weeks away, if you're looking for a different take on things, or if you're looking for something scary enough to want to check out the strange happenings before you read it, look no further than Look Inside Cat by Jason Reklock.

For those who read his previous novel, Hidden Pictures, which used still images throughout, his latest book has a new take on the subject, with the main character being a talented cartoonist.

The story begins with the disappearance of Penny's beloved pet cat, Popcorn. Not only is his cat like a member of his family, but Popcorn also serves as the inspiration for his cartoon strips and comic books. Struggling with the grief of losing him and her new reality, she hopes to help rekindle her creative spark when she's offered to pet sit for another cat, one she warms to immediately.

And well, it does, just in a way he never anticipated. Let's just say, when things take a turn, it soon becomes clear that Godfrey is no ordinary cat and that more dangerous forces are at work.

The Three-Stranded Fool by Christopher Bohlman

The second book in Christopher Bohlman's Blacktongue series, The Thrice-Bound Fool, reunites us with professional thief and perpetual con artist Kinch Na Shannack. And this time, his life and the lives of all of Manreich depend on one thing: his ability to decipher a truly disgusting book. But this is not just any old book. It is an ancient hook that tries to kill him, both when it is opened and when it is closed.

And worst of all, the omniscient guild doesn't want him to discover the dark magic and secrets hidden within the book's pages. So when Galva, a veteran of the Goblin Wars and sworn servant of Death, agrees to help and protect Kinch, can the partnership really work? You'll have to pick up a copy to find out.

Off The Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones

Another great horror to follow just in time for the spooky season, Stephen Graham Jones - author of My Heart Is a Chainsaw and The Buffalo Hunter - returns to the world of the Lonesome Indian in this next story.

Set five years after the horrific massacre at the Blackfeet Reservation, survivor Nate Yellow Tail takes the opportunity to start life anew after a horrific accident that should have taken his life left him on the brink of death.

He and three older Blackfeet, who carry his broken body, board a dilapidated camper van with one goal in mind - to find and return the bones of a Blackfeet member who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, where Native children were abused for decades. But, as you might expect, this trip back in time reveals more than they could have predicted or expected.

This month brings us the epic conclusion of V.E. Schwab's Villains trilogy, and we couldn't be more excited to see how it all ends.

After an incredible encounter with Marcella, Ellie and Serena, the City of Merit Supers are down and doing their best to avoid EON's attention.

However, with EON now under new leadership, with a terrifying new agenda being launched, they can no longer remain in the shadows. As Victor, Sydney, Mitch and the rest travel to the enemy's stronghold at EON headquarters, it's here that they encounter some unexpected allies as well as a host of unexpected new abilities, all of which will eventually culminate. But can they defeat the super organization - and luck - one last time?

The World After Public Access by Jane Schoenbrunn

For fans of the popular summer horror gem, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, and 2024's I Saw the TV Glow, the writer and director both bring us a fresh story revolving around a mysterious TV network broadcast, simply known as the Post-World Public Access. And it has certainly piqued our interest. That's for sure

It begins in 2009, when two suburban teenagers sit together and watch the conversion of television from analog to digital. But after the static clears, one of them catches a glimpse of the post-public access world before disappearing into thin air, in turn ruining his friend's life forever.

Fourteen years later, Bethany—a trance content monitor who spends her time watching a seemingly endless series of horror videos—finds a young broadcaster repeatedly calling World Access Afterworld. Can Bethany find and save them? And what does it have to do with the disappearance of 2009? It's safe to say we'll be getting a copy.

For those of us who grew up watching classic comedies like Anchorman, Old School, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Zoolander, these movies remain some of the most memorable and beloved films of the era. And in Matt Singer's Funny Business, we're given a look behind the scenes of what made those movies such a hit and a huge hit with audiences.

Charting the success of stars who first cut their teeth in improv comedy groups and troupes before making their way to groups like SNL, there was a time when you couldn't go to the movies or turn on the movie channels without seeing Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Seth Rogen, Vince Vaughn or the Wilson brothers.

But what happened to this kind of comedy? And can they ever make a triumphant return in the digital and streaming age? Reminiscing and reflecting on the kinds of comedies that have come before, and what's likely to come, is essential for moviegoers and comedy fans alike.

We always love when authors get creative in the ways they share their stories, and Ali Hazelwood is doing just that with the release of Bound and Unbound. Although both were originally released as audiobooks, this is the first time they've appeared in print, with Bound on one side and Unbound on the other.

For starters, Bond follows Vero, a down-on-his-luck student who is forced to turn to his special talent of forgery to make ends meet. But when her work catches the attention of Dr. Victor Ashworth, he makes her an offer. However, is it simple to help him forge this mysterious ancient manuscript? Or is there a reason they seem inexplicably drawn together?

Bringing everything back to Unbound, the story focuses on the lives of a five-thousand-year-old woman, Lilith, and an overworked ER.Dr. named Roman, who are stuck together. But when someone starts hunting Lilith and Roman is caught in the crossfire, he must choose between the world he's sworn to protect and the man he fell for. So, whether you're looking to dip your toe into the world of fantasy/paranormal romance or want a change of pace this month is definitely one to check out, especially if you can't get into the audiobook versions.

With pseudonyms and sometimes even ghostwriters, most of the time we don't always know who is behind some of our favorite books and series. And Chain House begs the question: What if a murderous cult leader were the author of a bestselling thriller series?

Just days before Sal Battis's execution, he agrees to an interview. However, there is a catch - to publish his last unpublished manuscript, something that could lead them to find the bodies of his victims - he wants a stay of execution.

At the same time, a ransom note arrives with a demand - to save the governor's recently kidnapped wife - the execution of Battis must go ahead as planned. As the clock ticks down, the young filmmaker conducting the interview decides to hire one of the cult's childhood survivors to help find the missing manuscript and, in turn, the fate of Battis and the governor's missing wife.

A Court of Broken Harmony by Sarah J. Mass

And it wouldn't be a roundup of the best new books coming out in October 2026 without mentioning the sixth book in Sarah J. Moss' record-breaking series, A Court of Thorns and Roses.

One of the most anticipated releases of the whole year, this book revolves around the immortal Kusha and the imminent threat of his return. Obviously, the Night Court cannot stand by and watch as innocents are attacked, but at the same time, recent rifts and betrayals mean that the Night Court is not as united and strong as it once was. It takes finding a way to reunite and repair what's broken if they have any way to survive and, in turn, defeat Koschei and what's to come. With the seventh book coming out in January, it's certainly a good time to be an ACOTAR fan.