We may be knee-deep in curating magical experiences for our book boxes, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t fangirling over some incredible new releases hitting shelves this September. These books aren’t part of our subscription boxes—but oh, how we wish we had the space to include them all! From mysterious boarding schools to wild goddess love stories, here are the titles the Once Upon a Book Club team cannot stop talking about this month.

 

If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry

Release Date: September 16th, 2025

Jack the Ripper meets Medusa. Yes, really. In this myth-meets-true-crime twist, the infamous London killer escapes to New York City in 1888, only to find himself hunted by an ancient force of vengeance with serpents for hair. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl (one adventurous, one serious) team up with a reporter and a bartender in a city crawling with secrets. This one’s got sisterhood, survival, and a mythic showdown we can’t wait to sink our fangs into.

A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig

Release Date: September 2nd, 2025

Greer Mackenzie is trapped in Mistaken, a prosperous town bound by a dark deal: the Warding Stones protect its people from beasts outside—but no one who stays overnight can ever leave. When her love Ellis disappears beyond the stones, Greer escapes for the first time and ventures into the Canadian wilderness to rescue him. But she’s being hunted—by monsters, secrets, and her own past. Romantic, haunting, and rich with Scottish folklore, this adult debut by Erin A. Craig promises an unforgettable journey.

A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal

Release Date: September 23rd, 2025

She’s had her tea; now, Arthie Casimir is out for blood. After the city of White Roaring is left in ruins, vampires are in danger, the public demands justice, and Arthie has no time to mourn. In the gripping sequel to A Tempest of Tea, Arthie must reassemble her crew and face the ghosts of her past back in Ceylan. Revenge, rebellion, and razor-sharp secrets await in this final chapter of Hafsah Faizal’s gritty fantasy duology.

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

Release Date: September 30th, 2025

One rare book connects three women across more than a century. In 2024 London, Margo Reynolds is tasked with tracking down a 120-year-old manuscript, only to discover she’s not the only one searching. Her quest leads her into a dangerous mystery and a reunion with the man she once loved. Meanwhile, in 1900 Boston, Cuban teacher Eva Fuentes arrives to participate in a cultural exchange at Harvard. A moonlit encounter, forbidden love, and the weight of secrets will forever alter her life…and her legacy.

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross

Release Date: September 2nd, 2025

Matilda is the youngest goddess of her under-realm clan, carrying messages across domains and hiding a secret even from her closest allies. When she tumbles into the life of Vincent of Beckett, a mortal boy who once reached out to her in his darkest hour, they discover that dreams, fate, and love are more tangled than they imagined. To rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, Matilda must risk everything, including her own vulnerability.

The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham

Release Date: September 16th, 2025

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy, and the campus is buzzing, partly because the school just jumped seventeen spots in the national rankings. But as celebrations begin, an anonymous app called ZipZap starts revealing everyone’s secrets. From queen bee Davi Banerjee, to mysterious transfer student Charley Hicks, to the too-young history teacher Simone Bergeron, no one is safe. Scandals, alliances, and unforgettable drama unfold in this deliciously dishy boarding school saga.

 

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

Release Date: September 9th, 2025

Robert Langdon returns, this time in Prague, to attend a lecture by Katherine Solomon, a noetic scientist with whom he’s begun a relationship. Her upcoming book threatens centuries of belief, but a murder derails everything. When Katherine vanishes with her manuscript, Langdon finds himself pursued by a terrifying figure from ancient mythology. The chase spans Prague, London, and New York as he uncovers a project that could change the way we understand the human mind.

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison

Release Date: September 9th, 2025

Clio Barnes has built a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, far from her childhood in a supposedly possessed house. But when her mother dies, she and her sisters inherit the home and a past Clio tried to forget. She returns to flip the house for content, only to discover that her mother’s claims and her haunting memoir might have been true. Dark truths rise with the wallpaper in this clever haunted house story full of chills and psychological twists.

What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

Release Date: September 23rd, 2025

In the kingdom of Amarra, women rule and must kidnap their husbands from other lands. Warrior princess Olerra sets her sights on the sweet, second-born prince of their greatest enemy. But Sanos, heir to Brutus, switches places with his brother during a drunken prank and soon finds himself carted off to Amarra’s palace. Olerra needs a husband to secure her claim to the throne, but Sanos is anything but cooperative. Until, of course, he starts to reconsider everything.

Road Trip with a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Release Date: September 23rd, 2025

Grizelda “Zelda” Watson is a reformed bad witch just trying to live her best vampire-free life in sunny California. But when a tall, mysterious vampire with amnesia shows up with a letter from an old friend, Zelda can’t resist helping him, even if he looks way too good in yoga shorts. Together they hit the road to uncover Peter’s lost past, but along the way, they uncover something else entirely: each other.

Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver

Release Date: September 23rd, 2025

Welcome to Cape Carnage, where tourists come to die. Harper Starling is a gardener with deadly instincts, protecting her town with a very permanent solution to tourist trouble. Nolan Rhodes is a revenge-driven killer hunting down his next target. When their paths cross, they strike a dangerous truce. But their twisted bond and the arrival of a true crime investigator threaten to unravel every buried secret in this darkly funny, slow-burning romance.

Spread Me by Sarah Gailey

Release Date: September 23rd, 2025

Kinsey loves her quiet life leading a remote research outpost, until her crew discovers a strange specimen buried in the sand. She breaks protocol to bring it inside, but the longer it stays, the more things begin to spiral out of control. Temptation, paranoia, and the need to survive escalate in this dark, seductive sci-fi thriller. Whatever’s in the sand, it’s looking for a new host, and someone on the team might be the perfect fit.

Final Thoughts from the OUABC Team

We love curating unforgettable reads for our monthly boxes, but that doesn’t stop us from falling head-over-book for other new releases, too. These titles won’t appear in our subscription boxes, but they’re absolutely going into our personal fall reading piles. 

If you're looking for more literary magic, don’t forget to check out our Ready-to-Ship Book Boxes for stories that come to life with surprise gifts. Happy September reading!

If you enjoyed this blog, we think you will love our latest blog on What the OUABC is Currently Reading! Yes, it’s a sneak peek into what has grabbed our attention!