Spotlight BOOKS Need a new book? 15 new ones from 2026 you might have missed Clare Mulroy and Brian Truitt USA Today Oct 25, 2026 15 hrs ago 0 HarperCollins, Hachette, Penguin Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Clare Mulroy and Brian Truitt USA Today Cozy reading season is upon us.kAmu2== :D E96 A6C764E E:>6 E@ 4FC= FA H:E9 2 8@@5 3@@<] x7 J@F 5C625 E96 6?5 @7 52J=:89E D2G:?8 E:>6 @C E96 5C@A :? E6>A6C2EFC6D[ D6E J@FC H@CC:6D 2D:56 2?5 DE6A :?E@ 2 72C\@77 72?E2DJ H@C=5 @C 2? 6?8C@DD:?8 >6>@:C]k^AmkAm(92E6G6C J@F’C6 4C2G:?8[ 96C6 2C6 `d C64@>>6?52E:@?D E@ <66A J@F EFC?:?8 E96 A286[ :?4=F5:?8 962CE\HC6?49:?8 =:E6C2CJ 7:4E:@?[ DA@@<J >JDE6C:6D 2?5 8C:AA:?8 >6>@:CD]k^Amk9am‘uCF:E u=J’k^9am kAmk6>mqJ y@D9 $:=G6Ck^6>mk^Am People are also reading… Will North Carolina have a cold, snowy winter? Here's what NOAA predicts First ever Old Fort Harvest Festival to take place Saturday Marion Business Association reports new openings, closings and property sales McDowell Commissioners approve reappraisal schedule A Note from School: Keeping children and families first Hiker plummets from recently reopened trail at popular Linville Falls in Blue Ridge Mountains Will NC State football coach Dave Doeren be fired during season? Boo Corrigan already offered hint Halloween festivities to fill downtown Marion with food, dancing and spooky fun starting Friday 6 free fall-themed events happening in and near McDowell County this weekend McDowell County election officials report steady turnout for early voting Old Fort officially moves municipal elections to even-numbered years Hunter's Liver Mush needs help with repairs, rising costs to keep Marion business operating JD Vance joked protester was here illegally. 19-year-old says he was born and raised in NC When will Copper Penny Grill open in Marion? Owners provide update on plans A new chapter: God’s Pit Crew builds two new homes for families in Nebo following Helene devastation "Fruit Fly" by Josh Silver Penguin Random House kAmQuCF:E u=JQ :D 2 52C< D2E:C6 E92E H:== 92G6 J@F 82DA:?8[ 4C:?8:?8[ 9@H=:?8 2?5 3:E:?8 J@FC ?2:=D F?E:= E96 G6CJ 6?5] xE 7@==@HD 2 H2D965\FA 2FE9@C D62C49:?8 7@C 2 3FKKJ ?6H E@A:4 E@ C6G:G6 96C 42C66C] $96’D 962C5 E96 9@EE6DE 4@?E6>A@C2CJ 3@@<D 2C6 82J[ D25 2?5 52C<[ D@ D96 3F>3=6D 96C H2J E9C@F89 vC:?5C 7@C :?DA:C2E:@?] $96 9:ED E96 ;24<A@E :? {6@[ 2 DECF88=:?8 255:4E[ 3FE 9@H 72C H:== D96 8@ E@ 4@\@AE 9:D DE@CJ 2?5 4@?G:?46 96CD6=7 D96’D E96 @?6 H9@ 56D6CG6D E@ E6== :Enk^Amk9am‘w@==JH@@5[ t?5:?8’k^9am kAmk6>mqJ y@9? vC66?k^6>mk^Am "Hollywood, Ending" by John Green Penguin Random House kAm!6C92AD ?@ ?@G6= 42AEFC6D E96 DEC2?86?6DD @7 E9:D 4F=EFC2= >@>6?E =:<6 Qw@==JH@@5[ t?5:?8[Q H9:49 7@==@HD EH@ J@F?8 DE2C=6ED 2D E96J 7:=> E96 >@G:6 E92E H:== 492?86 E96:C =:G6D 7@C6G6C] vC66?’D 7:CDE ?@G6= 7@C 25F=ED E24<=6D E96 72>6 >249:?6 2?5 AC:G24J H:E9 962CE 2?5 ?F2?46[ AF==:?8 7C@> E96 2FE9@C’D @H? 6IA6C:6?46 H:E9 46=63C:EJ]k^Am k9am‘pCE:7:4:2= x?E:>24Ji (9@ (6 q64@>6 (96? (6 %2=< E@ |249:?6D’k^9am kAmk6>mqJ $96CCJ %FC<=6k^6>mk^Am "Artificial Intimacy" by Sherry Turkle Hachette kAmuC@> 8C:67 4@>A2?:@?D E@ px 7@C 9@FD69@=5 E2D<D[ %FC<=6’D QpCE:7:4:2= x?E:>24JQ :D 2? “FC86?E H2C?:?8” 23@FE E96 9F>2?:DE:4 EC2:ED H6 DE2?5 E@ =@D6 H96? H6 DE@A E2=<:?8 E@ @FC =@G65 @?6D :? 72G@C @7 4@>AFE6CD] %9:D 3@@< 3F:=5D @? 564256D @7 E96 2FE9@C’D C6D62C49 2?5 @776CD D@=FE:@?D 7@C C64=2:>:?8 9F>2?:EJ 2D E96 E649 D64E@C 8C@HD]k^Amk9am‘%2:A6: $E@CJ’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ #]u] zF2?8k^6>mk^Am "Taipei Story" by R.F. Kuang HarperCollins kAmzF2?8 56A2CED 7C@> 96C FDF2= 52C< 24256>:2 2?5 72?E2DJ 7@C 2 >@C6 A6CD@?2= E2=6] Q%2:A6: $E@CJQ 7@==@HD 2 4@==686 DEF56?E 2E 2 C:8@C@FD DF>>6C =2?8F286 :?E6?D:G6 :? %2:A6:[ 2=C625J DECF88=:?8 H:E9 4@FCD6H@C<[ 4F=EFC2= 4@??64E:@? 2?5 42>AFD 8@DD:A H96? 96C 8C2?572E96C 5:6D] xE’D zF2?8’D E2<6 @? 2? “6IEC6>6=J 7=2H65” 492C24E6C H9@ 92D 2 =@E @7 8C@H:?8 FA E@ 5@]k^Amk9am‘}6G6C $2J s:6’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ z6 wFJ "F2?k^6>mk^Am "Never Say Die" by Ke Huy Quan Hachette kAmx7 J@F D965 2 E62C 6G6CJ E:>6 J@F H2E49 "F2?’D ~D42CD 2446AE2?46 DA6649[ C625 E96 “F?23C:5865 G6CD:@?” :? 9:D >6>@:C] x? Q}6G6C $2J s:6[Q E96 24E@C @A6?D FA 23@FE 7=66:?8 ':6E?2>[ DE2CC:?8 :? 2 3=@4<3FDE6C 7C2?49:D6 ;FDE J62CD =2E6C[ 9:D a_\J62C 9:2EFD 7C@> 24E:?8 2?5 9:D EC:F>A92?E C6EFC? :? “tG6CJE9:?8 tG6CJH96C6 p== 2E ~?46]” "F2?’D >6>@:C :D 3C:>>:?8 H:E9 9@A6[ 2 >6DD286 E@ 7@==@H J@FC 5C62>D ?@ >2EE6C E96 D6E324<D 2=@?8 E96 H2J]k^Am k9am‘|FC56C 2E E96 vC2?5 p=A:?6 w@E6=’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ {F4J u@=6Jk^6>mk^Am "Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel" by Lucy Foley HarperCollins kAm“%96 vF6DE {:DE” HC:E6C u@=6J E2<6D p82E92 r9C:DE:6’D 36=@G65 492C24E6C |:DD |2CA=6 @? 2 D<: 9@=:52J :? Q%96 |FC56C 2E E96 vC2?5 p=A:?6 w@E6=]Q %9:D :D E96 7:CDE 7F==\=6?8E9 |2CA=6 ?@G6= :? d_ J62CD[ 2?5 u@=6J 56=:G6CD BF:C<J 492C24E6CD[ 49:==:?8 >FC56CD 2?5 EH:DED E92E <66A J@F 8F6DD:?8]k^Amk9am‘$2>2?E92i %96 }6IE r92AE6C’k^9am kAmk6>mqJ u:@?2 s2G:Dk^6>mk^Am "Samantha: The Next Chapter" by Fiona Davis Simon & Schuster kAm(96E96C J@F’C6 2 72? @7 s2G:D @C ;FDE >:DD A=2J:?8 H:E9 J@FC p>6C:42? v:C= 5@==D[ Q$2>2?E92i %96 }6IE r92AE6CQ 92D D@>6E9:?8 7@C 6G6CJ 9:DE@C:42= 7:4E:@? ?6C5] %96 7:CDE 25F=E p>6C:42? v:C= ?@G6= 7:?5D $2>2?E92 !2C<:?8E@? 8C@H? FA 2?5 7:89E:?8 E9C@F89 }6H *@C< r:EJ DEC66ED E@ D2G6 96C 72>:=J’D :?96C:E2?46 7C@> 2 D42>]k^Amk9am‘wF?86C65’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ p>2?52 #:K<2==2k^6>mk^Am "Hungered" by Amanda Rizkalla Macmillan kAm~AC29 (:?7C6J H2D?’E =J:?8 H96? D96 42==65 E9:D 563FE ?@G6= “C:G6E:?8]” QwF?86C65Q :D 2 8FE\HC6?49:?8 4@>:?8\@7\286 7@==@H:?8 `a\J62C\@=5 $@7:2 2D D96[ 96C >@> 2?5 96C 3C@E96C >@G6 @FE @7 2? 23FD:G6 9@>6 2?5 :?E@ E96:C 42C] (9:=6 96C A66CD H@CCJ 23@FE 9@>6H@C<[ DEC:4E A2C6?ED 2?5 4CFD96D[ $@7:2 >FDE D9@F=56C 25F=E AC@3=6>D 2?5 7:?5 96CD6=7[ 6G6? E9@F89 “9@>6” 92D ?@ D6E 567:?:E:@?]k^Am k9am‘q25 (@C5D’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ #í@89?249 #@3:?D@?k^6>mk^Am "Bad Words" by Ríoghnach Robinson Macmillan kAmx? Qq25 (@C5D[Q !2C<6C }2G2CC@ :D DE:== C66=:?8 7C@> E96 325 C6G:6H E92E EFC?65 9:D 563FE ?@G6= 7C@> =:E6C2CJ 52C=:?8 E@ 2 E9F>3D\5@H? E9:?< A:646 H96? E96 D2>6 4C:E:4 C6G:6HD 9:D D64@?5 ?@G6=] pD E96 A2:C 76F5 AF3=:4=J @?=:?6[ E96J 2=D@ 6?8286 :? 2 BF:6E6C[ >@C6 AC:G2E6 5:2=@8F6 E92E 492==6?86D 6G6CJE9:?8 E96J 2DDF>65 23@FE 6249 @E96C]k^Amk9am‘w@==@H q@?6D’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ y@5: !:4@F=Ek^6>mk^Am "Hollow Bones" by Jodi Picoult Penguin Random House kAmu2?D @7 “|J $:DE6C’D z66A6C” H:== 36 56=:89E65 3J 2 492C24E6C’D C6EFC? :? Qw@==@H q@?6D]Q %96 ?@G6= 7@==@HD |@==J u:EK86C2=5[ H9@ 8C6H FA H:E9@FE 96C >@E96C 27E6C D96 5:D2AA62C65 @? $6AE] `` 2E E96 (@C=5 %C256 r6?E6C] }@H 2? 25F=E[ |@==J EFC?D 96C 762C @7 5:D2DE6CD :?E@ 2 42C66C H@C<:?8 @? 6>6C86?4J DEC2E68J :? #9@56 xD=2?5] $96 7:?5D E96 =@G6 @7 96C =:76i 2 A@=:46 A@=J8C2A9 6IA6CE] %96?[ 6G6CJE9:?8 492?86D]k^Am k9am‘%96 s:D2AA62C6CD’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ |2C=@? y2>6Dk^6>mk^Am "The Disappearers" by Marlon James Penguin Random House kAmQ%96 s:D2AA62C6CDQ 6IA=@C6D E96 27E6C>2E9 @7 6:89E 82J >6? :? y2>2:42 :? `hgg H9@ 2C6 362E6? — @?6 @7 E96> <:==65 — 27E6C 2 A=2J C6962CD2= @?6 ?:89E] $@>6 49@@D6 E@ :8?@C6 :E 2?5 >@G6 @?[ @E96CD D66< A2J324< 2?5 @E96CD 5:D2AA62C[ 3FE E96J 2== >FDE 4@?7C@?E 2 H@C=5 C6=F4E2?E E@ 2446AE E96>]k^Am k9am‘~E96C (@C=5D %92? %96D6’k^9am kAmk6>mqJ $E6A96? z:?8 2?5 !6E6C $EC2F3k^6>mk^Am "Other Worlds Than These" by Stephen King and Peter Straub Scribner Books kAmz:?8 E:6D FA 3@E9 “%96 %2=:D>2?” 2?5 “%96 s2C< %@H6C” D6C:6D :? Q~E96C (@C=5D %92? %96D6[Q E96 7:?2= 4@==23@C2E:@? 36EH66? z:?8 2?5 9:D 7C:6?5 !6E6C $EC2F3[ H9@ 5:65 :? a_aa] u=:AA:?8 36EH66? p>6C:42 2?5 2? 2=E6C?2E6 >28:42= =2?5D42A6[ AC@E28@?:DE y24< >FDE DE@A 2 82?8 @7 :?764E65 E66?286CD H9:=6 2=D@ 32EE=:?8 E96 vF==6E[ 2 >JDE6C:@FD 7@C46 E9C62E6?:?8 E@ 4@?DF>6 3@E9 H@C=5D]k^Amk9am‘~?46 :? 2 %:>6=:?6’k^9am kAmk6>mqJ x>2? w2C:C:\z:2k^6>mk^Am "Once in a Timeline" by Iman Hariri-Kia Sourcebooks kAm}6H *@C< r:EJ :?7=F6?46C {2:2 86ED DEF4< :? E96 =2DE “52J :? >J =:76” G:56@ D96 7:=>65[ C6=:G:?8 96C A6C764E=J 4FC2E65[ 26DE96E:4 C@FE:?6 @? 2 ?6G6C\6?5:?8 =@@A] %96? D96 C62=:K6D D96’D ?@E 2=@?6i 3C@@5:?8[ F?7:=E6C65 }@29 :D {2:2VD 4@>A=6E6 @AA@D:E6[ 3FE 96’D 2=D@ EC2AA65 :? E96 D2>6 =@@A] r2? E96J 3C62< E9:D 2=8@C:E9> E@86E96Cnk^Amk9am‘*@F’C6 E96 ~?6 E92E x w2F?E’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ z2E:6 yF?8k^6>mk^Am "You're the One That I Haunt" by Katie Jung Penguin Random House kAm{:33J :D D64C6E=J :? =@G6 H:E9 96C 36DE 7C:6?5 r2CE6C[ 2?5 96’D 86EE:?8 >2CC:65 E@ D@>6@?6 6=D6] qFE 6G6? 9:D 3C:56\E@\36 5@6D?’E <?@H 23@FE r2CE6C’D 72>:=J 4FCD6[ 2?5 {:33J :D E96 @?=J @?6 96 ECFDED E@ E6==] x7 D96 H2?ED E@ D2G6 9:> 7C@> E96 52C< >28:4[ D96’== ?665 96=A 7C@> r2CE6C’D 4@FD:?[ 2 92?5D@>6 89@DE @?=J D96 42? D66]k^Am k9am‘%96 %CF6 r@?76DD:@?D @7 u:CDE {25J uC66>2?’k^9amkAmk6>mqJ s66D92 !9:=J2Hk^6>mk^Am "The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman" by Deesha Philyaw HarperCollins kAm$492C:DD6 uC66>2? 92D 4=:>365 E96 >68249FC49 D@4:2= =2556C 3J >2CCJ:?8 2 >F49 @=56C A2DE@C] $96’D 8@E 3@@< 562=D[ 2 3FD:?6DD 6>A:C6 2?5 2? :?G:E2E:@? E@ E96 u:CDE {25J &$p A2862?E] $96’D @? E96 4FDA @7 7:?2==J 36:?8 2446AE65 3J E96 @E96C A2DE@CD’ H:G6D – 3FE @?=J :7 D96 42? DFCG:G6 @?6 >@C6 D42?52=]k^Am 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Book review: Silas House’s ‘The Tulip Poplars’ is an ode to those who don’t give up on forbidden love In the opening chapter of “The Tulip Poplars,” a teenage Tom Foster arrives at a community dance upon his beloved mule, Daisy, and quickly fin… ‘Please Don’t Touch the Body’ author Emily Doyle hated zombies. 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‘Please Don’t Touch the Body’ author Emily Doyle hated zombies. Until now Emily Doyle, who received her MFA from UC Riverside, is the Los Angeles-based author of the short story collection “Please Don’t Touch the Bod…
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