Zibby Mag

By Zibby Owens

Every month, I have the privilege of writing the books column for Good Morning America. I started writing it in March 2020, one of the many ways I tried to help authors get the word out about their books when the pandemic hit. (I also launched an Instagram Live show called Z-IGTV daily with 4-5 authors, started a virtual book club, and upped my podcast to daily.)

I absolutely adore writing the column. The best part, for me, is when authors absolutely freak out when they find out they’ve been selected for the list and call, email or text me, screaming in excitement. Another great part is when I hear from readers who tag me, telling me I helped them discover a book they absolutely loved. Connecting readers to books is a huge life mission of mine. I don’t know why. It just is. So I’m going with it.

But GMA does have a limit of 15 books, and I always have more I’d like to include. So here’s the unedited list of what I personally would most like to read among the 1,000+ books coming out in October. And I still probably missed a TON.

My taste is eclectic. But that’s what makes reading fun. Jumping from one genre to another. Books that make me think and books that make me feel. Dive in.

I’m Wearing Tunics Now: On Growing Older, Better, and a Hell of a Lot Louder by Wendi Aarons

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict

The Last Chairlift by John Irving

Never Meant to Meet You by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans

The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham

Endless Summer: Stories by Elin Hilderbrand

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

If I Were the Ocean I’d Carry You Home by Peter Hsu

Dying of Politeness by Geena Davis

Billie Starr’s Book of Sorries by Deborah E. Kennedy

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd

The Bequest by Joanna Margaret

The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken

Bad Vibes Only: And Other Things I Bring to the Table by Nora McInerny

You Should Sit Down for This: A Memoir About Life, Wine, and Cookies by Tamera Mowry-Housley

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

When They Tell You To Be Good by Prince Shakur

Lighter by Yung Pueblo

Token Black Girl by Danielle Prescod

Listening in the Dark by Amber Tamblyn

Daughters of the New Year by E.M. Tran

The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban

Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro

You Don’t Know What War Is: The Diary of a Young Girl from Ukraine by Yeva Skalietska

The High Notes by Danielle Steel

Starry Messenger by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Still No Word From You: Notes in the Margin by Peter Orner

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner

Dinosaurs by Laura Millet

I Wouldn’t Do That If I Were Me by Jason Gay