Today I’m sharing some of the October 2025 books on my radar. These are books that are releasing in October that I’m excited about, interested in reading, or just wanting to share with others. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking on my link, I may receive a small commission.
War Games by Alan Gratz (10/7) – From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Refugee and Heroes comes this heart-pounding, high-stakes take on the 1936 Berlin Olympics, also known as the “Nazi Olympics.”
In 1936 Berlin, nothing is what it seems…
Evie Harris can’t believe her luck: She’s competing in the Olympics, along with fellow American athletes like Jesse Owens. True, there’s something creepy about Germany’s leader, Adolf Hitler, who watches over the games with his Nazi henchmen. But Evie’s just here to win a gold medal in gymnastics.
Until she discovers a horrible secret.
Behind all the Olympic fanfare, the Nazis have Berlin in an iron grip of terror and violence–and war is brewing. When Evie becomes embroiled in a mysterious plot to help steal Nazi gold, she must navigate the city’s darkest corners and hidden passageways, never knowing who she can trust.
With lives on the line and her family’s future at stake, Evie has to choose between following her Olympic dreams and standing up to evil… before it’s too late.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz is back and better than ever with this heart-racing, plot-twisting story about the roots of World War II and the sacrifices we make for what matters most.
Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz (10/7) – The timeless #1 New York Times bestseller Refugee is brought to life in a stunning graphic novel adaptation!
JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world…
ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America…
MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe…
All three kids must endure harrowing journeys. All face unimaginable dangers. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end.
Refugee is a modern classic that has spent over 5 years on the New York Times bestseller list, and garnered several awards and much acclaim. Brought to life with rich, gorgeous illustrations by artist Syd Fini, this hotly anticipated graphic novel will attract a whole new generation of fans.
The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller (10/7) – A witty, spectacular, and timely tale of modern-day witches waging war on the patriarchy, from fan favorite Kirsten Miller, the author of The Change and Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books.
There are places on earth where nature’s powers gather. Girls raised there are bequeathed strange gifts. A few have powers so dark that they fear to use them. Such a place is Wild Hill, on the tip of Long Island. For centuries, the ghost of a witch murdered by colonists claimed the beautiful and fertile Wild Hill…until a young Scottish woman with strange gifts arrived. Sadie Duncan was allowed to stay.
Five generations of Sadie’s descendants called Wild Hill home, each generation more powerful than the last. Then, in the aftermath of a terrible tragedy, the last of the Duncans, once prophesized to be the most powerful of their kind, abandoned their ancestral home.
One of them, Brigid Laguerre moved to California and turned her dark gift into fame and fortune. Her sister, Phoebe, settled on a ranch in Texas, where women visit in secret for her tonics and cures. Phoebe’s daughter, Sybil, has become a famous chef. Seemingly powerless, Sibyl has never been told of the Duncan bloodline.
Now Brigid, Phoebe, and Sibyl have been brought to Wild Hill to discover their family legacy. The Old One, furious at the path mankind has taken, has chosen three powerful witches to turn the tide. The Duncans will fulfill their destinies—but only if they can set aside their grievances and come together as a family.
One Killer Night by Trilina Pucci (10/14) – “Whip smart and hilarious! Pucci is well on her way to literary domination.” ―Abby Jimenez, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer.
USA Today bestselling author Trilina Pucci cranks up the heat in this sexy slasher filled with dark family secrets, classic horror tropes, and banter as sharp as a deranged killer’s knife.
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love will stab you from behind.
It’s Halloween night, and out-of-work writer Goldie Monroe’s trip to the drugstore scares up more than the fake blood she’s looking for. It leads to the man of her naughtiest dreams. And in spite of her costume, sparks fly from the moment they meet.
Noah Adler, aspiring sneaker designer, is impossibly gorgeous―like a tatted-up version of Goldie’s favorite blue-eyed vampire. He’s there for candy, but it’s Goldie he can’t resist. When she invites him to her sister’s F/X company bash, he’s all in without a second thought.
The pair’s flirty connection heats up fast, carrying them to electrifying new heights. But after Goldie discovers Noah is hiding a dark secret, it all starts to crumble. Looking for answers about her own past awakens new dangers, and when Goldie and Noah land at a slasher camp for adults, a deadly tragedy threatens to repeat itself. If they can survive this one killer night, they can definitely slay a happily ever after.
The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong (10/14) – An almost-mage discovers friendship—and maybe something more—in the unlikeliest of places in this delightfully charming novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes.
Certainty Bulrush wants to be useful—to the Guild of Mages that took her in as a novice, to the little brother who depends on her, and to anyone else she can help. Unfortunately, her tepid magic hasn’t proven much use to anyone. When Certainty has the chance to earn her magehood via a seemingly straightforward assignment, she takes it. Nevermind that she’ll have to work with Mage Aurelia, the brilliant, unfairly attractive overachiever who’s managed to alienate everyone around her.
The two must transport minorly magical artifacts somewhere safe: Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village around. There, they must fix up an old warehouse, separate the gossipy teapots from the kind-of-flaming swords, corral an unruly little catdragon who has tagged along, and above all, avoid complications. The Guild’s uneasy relationship with citizens is at a tipping point, and the last thing needed is a magical incident.
Still, as mage and novice come to know Shpelling’s residents—and each other—they realize the Guild’s hoarded magic might do more good being shared. Friendships blossom while Certainty and Aurelia work to make Shpelling the haven it could be. But magic is fickle—add attraction and it might spell trouble.
Backslide by Nora Dahlia (10/21) – The author of the “sexy, smart, and sweetly satisfying” (Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Pick-Up returns with a second chance romance perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez! Exes are thrown together at their best friends’ wine country un-wedding and forced to reckon with their past…and lingering sparks.
Nellie Hurwitz doesn’t have a first love. She has a first hate: Noah-who-may-not-be-named. And she has refused to talk about what imploded their relationship since it ended abruptly near the end of high school.
For two decades, Nellie and Noah have managed to avoid seeing each other—but the gig is up when their respective best friends, Ben and Cara, plan an intimate vow renewal at a vineyard compound in Sonoma, California.
Nellie is determined to keep ancient history from ruining the trip Cara has worked so hard to plan—but dangerously close quarters bring up feelings both Nellie and Noah have carefully locked away for years. Even amidst the eye rolls, snipes and awkwardness of their forced proximity, the two can’t shake the heady attraction they’ve always shared.
Written in alternating timelines, teenage Nellie and Noah fall together and apart in 1990s New York, while, in the present day, they grapple with whether—despite the baggage of the past—there is still something real and unfinished brewing between them.
Ultimately, can they find a way to move forward? Or will they backslide and blow things up for good?
Will you add any of these to your to be read list?
