There are few things better than a good book, a cup of tea going cold beside you, and absolutely nowhere to be.
Whether it's a full night in, ten minutes before bed, or a stolen chapter on your lunch break, a good book always makes the day feel a little more yours.
So here are the seven we can't stop talking about this month, and the ones we'd hand straight to our best friend.
The seven books
1. Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty
For the girls who still think about Big Little Lies, this one goes straight to the top of the pile.
Big Little Truths checks back in on the Monterey mothers a decade later. The kids are teenagers now, and the secrets everyone thought were buried are starting to resurface. All the things we love about Moriarty are here: sharp humor, school-gate politics, and that feeling that something is about to go very wrong.
Perfect for: a book club pick that guarantees a long, loud conversation.
2. We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman
If you want a mystery that feels like a warm hug, Richard Osman is always the answer.
We Chase Shadows is the latest in his We Solve Murders series, with the detective trio back on the trail of a new killer. It's clever, funny and just the right amount of twisty. The kind of book you start "just for a chapter" and finish at 1am.
Perfect for: a rainy Sunday with nowhere to be.
3. Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley
For anyone who says they want something relaxing, then immediately picks a murder at a luxury hotel.
Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel is a brand-new Miss Marple mystery, written by Lucy Foley. A body turns up at a glamorous mountaintop resort, and Agatha Christie's most famous sleuth is on the case. Snow, secrets, and a full cast of suspects.
Perfect for: a girls' weekend away, or pretending you're on one.
4. Partita by Barbara Kingsolver
Sometimes you don't want a twist. Sometimes you just want to feel something.
Partita follows a pianist forced to face the ghosts of her past, in a sweeping story about music and resilience. It's the kind of slow, beautiful novel you want to read with your phone in another room. Out October 6, so it's officially on our pre-order list.
Perfect for: a long weekend and a big pot of tea.
5. Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus
If you loved Lessons in Chemistry, you already know you're reading this.
Peck & Peck follows a young man who stumbles into an unconventional New York poetry journal and finds the people and purpose he didn't know he was missing. Expect Garmus's trademark wit and a whole lot of heart. Out October 13.
Perfect for: when you need a book that makes you laugh out loud on the train.
6. Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros
For the Fourth Wing girls, the wait is (sort of) over.
Threshing Day is a brand-new book set in the Empyrean world, made up of thirteen stories about our favorite characters and their dragons. It's not Book 4 (that one's still being written), but it's the perfect way back into Basgiath while we wait. Just released, and already on every one of our nightstands.
Perfect for: the friend who has reread Onyx Storm more times than she'll admit.
7. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
If you've finished ACOTAR and need something to fill the wait, this is it.
Throne of Glass is Maas's eight-book series following Celaena Sardothien, a teenage assassin pulled out of a prison mine to fight for her freedom. It starts as a competition story and grows into something massive: magic, kingdoms, found family and a slow burn that pays off. The best part? The whole series is out, so you can binge it start to finish.
Perfect for: the reader who wants a series that will take over their life (in the best way).
Our cozy reading ritual
Night in with a book
The best reading nights start with taking the day off. Ours looks something like this:
Melt everything away with the Perfect Cleansing Oil. Smooth on the Perfect Facial Cream. Hair up, tea made, phone face-down. Then open the book and let the night be easy.
Book club, coffee dates and reading in cafés
And for the days your book comes out with you? It goes in the bag next to the Compact. One quick press before book club or a coffee catch-up and you look fresh, not done. Because nobody wants to spend book club checking their face when they could be arguing about the ending.
Whether you're in your mystery era, your Moriarty era, or your full tears-over-the-last-chapter era, your routine should feel easy, pretty and completely yours.
So save this list, or send it to the friend you always swap books with. Because the best recommendations are always shared.
