October is here, and with it comes pumpkin spice lattes, trees dressed in a patchwork of autumn leaves, and an irresistible lineup of brand-new reads! There’s something magical about this month’s releases. Get ready to curl up with a gothic fantasy, dive into a high-stakes thriller, or savor a story that mixes romance with the supernatural.

Our team has been buzzing about this month’s releases, and we’re sharing the ones we can’t wait to get our hands on. These books are perfect for October nights, and while they won’t be making an appearance in our Once Upon a Book Club boxes, they’ve definitely made their way onto our personal reading lists. When it comes to TBR lists, there’s no such thing as too long!

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

Release Date: October 14th, 2025

When Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben team up, you know it’s going to be something special. Gone Before Goodbye combines Witherspoon’s flair for layered, character-driven stories with Coben’s masterful suspense. 

At the heart of the novel is Maggie McCabe, a renowned Army combat surgeon whose life takes a devastating turn when her medical license is revoked. Adrift and searching for purpose, Maggie takes a mysterious job that brings her face-to-face with unimaginable luxury, a missing patient, and a conspiracy hidden among the world’s ultra-elite. 

For No Mortal Creature by Keshe Chow

Release Date: October 7th, 2025

Romantic gothic fantasy meets the afterlife in For No Mortal Creature, a story that feels tailor-made for autumn evenings. Jia Yi discovers she has the rare ability to move between life and death after surviving an enemy’s sword. 

Her power leads her into a mysterious spirit realm where she must navigate betrayal, uneasy alliances, and ghosts both real and metaphorical. With her grandmother’s suspicious death propelling her deeper into this deathly world, Jia finds herself torn between Lin, the boy she once loved, and Prince Essien, the enemy she should despise.

Red City by Marie Lu

Release Date: October 14th, 2025

Marie Lu is back with Red City, a high-stakes fantasy thriller that reimagines alchemy as the ultimate drug, marketed to elites in the dazzling yet dangerous Angel City. Controlled by two rival syndicates, the balance of power begins to crumble when childhood friends Sam and Ari find themselves on opposite sides of the escalating conflict. 

With themes of ambition, loyalty, and survival, the novel explores how far people will go to grasp at power and whether love can endure when tested by betrayal and war. 

The Things Gods Break by Abigail Owen

Release Date: October 21st, 2025

Prepare for divine chaos in Abigail Owen’s The Things Gods Break. With Hades himself taking center stage, this fantasy thrusts readers into Tartarus, where the protagonist finds herself caught between monsters, Titans, and gods who would rather see her destroyed. 

Cursed to become the key to ancient locks that could unleash ruin, she faces horrifying trials with only Hades defying the gods to protect her. This story promises fierce battles, dark romance, and mythology turned upside down. 

If you’ve been craving something that blends Greek mythology with intense action and irresistible tension, this book will hit all the right notes for October reading.

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison

Release Date: October 21st, 2025

If you’re looking for something a little cozier with a ghostly twist, Good Spirits by B.K. Borison is here to charm you. Nolan Callahan is the Ghost of Christmas Past, resigned to haunting the worst people in Annapolis year after year. 

But when his latest assignment turns out to be Harriet York, a sweet antique shop owner, both are left questioning why fate has tied them together. With Borison’s trademark warmth and wit, this paranormal romance blends seasonal magic with heartfelt discovery. 

Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

Release Date: October 7th, 2025

Get ready for a world of legends and urban myths in Alchemy of Secrets. When Holland St. James decides to take folklore class in a run-down theater, she gets more than she bargained for. She stumbles upon a prophecy tied to the Watch Man, who predicts her imminent death… unless she finds the Alchemical Heart. 

Holland is drawn into a world where she must unravel lies, navigate danger, and decide who she can actually trust, including a stranger claiming to have been sent by her sister!

 

Local Heavens by K.M. Fajardo

Release Date: October 14th, 2025

Local Heavens reimagines Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby through a futuristic lens. Set in 2075 New York, Nick Carraway is a corporate hacker assigned to investigate the enigmatic billionaire Jay Gatsby. 

In a world of body enhancements, fractured social classes, and the American Nightmare, Nick must decide between truth and love while uncovering the rot beneath those seemingly glittering surfaces. 

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

Release Date: October 28th, 2025

Few authors capture imagination like Alix E. Harrow, and The Everlasting promises to be one of those books that captivates you from the first page. The novel follows Sir Una Everlasting, a legendary knight, and Owen Mallory, a struggling historian who finds himself pulled back in time to ensure her story unfolds as it should. 

Bound together in cycles of love, loss, and legend, Una and Owen must decide whether history is unchangeable or if they can rewrite it at a great cost. 

Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan

Release Date: October 14th, 2025

When Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan join forces, you know you’re in for an extraordinary treat. Remain follows Tate Donovan, an architect searching for a fresh start, who finds himself drawn into a supernatural mystery on Cape Cod. 

Haunted by his sister’s death and dealing with his own grief, Tate encounters Wren, a young woman whose secrets challenge everything he believes. Get ready to answer some powerful questions about life, death, and what it really means to love. 

Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Release Date: October 7th, 2025

Ali Hazelwood returns to the paranormal romance world with Mate, the highly anticipated companion to Bride. Serena Paris, the first Human-Were hybrid, becomes a target of political schemes among Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. To survive, she must place her trust in Alpha Koen Alexander, who claims her as his mate. 

Filled with Ali Hazelwood’s trademark chemistry and humor, this novel brings new twists to the werewolf-vampyre lore. It’s a wonderful blend of romance, danger, and supernatural politics that is guaranteed to keep you hooked!

Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake

Release Date: October 21st, 2025

Olivie Blake, bestselling author of The Atlas Six, offers something darkly fun with Girl Dinner. Set in the world of elite sororities and wellness cults, the story follows Nina Kaur, a college sophomore desperate to belong, and Dr. Sloane Hartley, a struggling academic mom. 

As both women are drawn into The House, a secretive sorority where perfection comes at a bloody cost, they must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for power and acceptance. Get ready for social satire with a touch of the sinister! Girl Dinner is as sharp as it is unsettling and is perfect for readers craving something edgy this fall.

The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller

Release Date: October 7th, 2025

Kirsten Miller delivers a witty and timely witchy tale with The Women of Wild Hill. Spanning generations of women tied to a haunted Long Island estate, the story explores legacy, power, and family secrets. 

As the Duncan descendants return to Wild Hill, they must reckon with their dark gifts and the ghostly forces demanding change. October is the perfect month for witches, and this one promises to cast a spell on readers.

Turning the Final Page

October is shaping up to be an unforgettable month for new releases, with stories that span gothic fantasy, suspense thrillers, dystopian reimaginings, and haunting romances. These are the books the OUABC team is most excited about this fall, but remember, they won’t be featured in our book boxes. 

While you’re adding these new releases to your shelves, don’t forget to subscribe. Surprises are waiting in every OUABC subscription! After all, October reading isn’t just about what’s new; it’s about surrounding yourself with stories that thrill, comfort, and inspire, and we’re here to make sure you have plenty of those all year long. Happy reading from all of us at OUABC!