The weather is (slightly) starting to cool, my turtlenecks are starting to beckon me from the closet, my seasonal depression is fast approaching… this means we’re getting closer and closer to fall.

Fall is one of the biggest publishing periods of the year. Since it’s so close to the holiday season, it’s a great time to publish the kinds of books that will land on many “best of” lists. As a result, some of the biggest books of the year tend to be released in the fall months. 

There’s so much new publishing coming this fall that I feel confident there are books for all kinds of readers to come, and to help make it easier for you to decide what to read next, I’ve curated a list of just a few of the biggest and most anticipated releases coming in fall 2026.

If there’s something that strikes your fancy, you can preorder it, or put it on hold at your library (a great way to give publishers, booksellers, and libraries early indication of support for upcoming books), or you can go to your favourite local bookstore or library after it publishes. 

So read on, and I hope you find something that excites you just as much as it excites me!

SEPTEMBER

The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters

Amanda Peters’ The Birthing Tree is a gorgeous, historical work of literary fiction that explores family, legacy, and the secrets that bind us. Born under the shadow of a birthing tree that was sacred to generations of Mi’kmaw women, Aliet Paul grows up outside a small Nova Scotia town, with her fierce and loving grandmother, Kiju. Her mother died bringing her into the world, and her father remains a mystery. As the world beyond their community starts to change, traditional midwifery is condemned, with disastrous consequences. As Aliet comes of age, she navigates love and loss, veering away from the path her grandmother wanted for her. She becomes a nurse, trained in modern medicine, carrying Kiju’s teachings close. Years later, when she learns that Kiju has died, Aliet returns home to a scattered community, a crumbling house, and revelations about her family’s history. 

Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang

R.F. Kuang is one of my favourite authors of all time, and Taipei Story, her latest, is a funny and moving coming-of-age story that grapples with grief, language, and culture shock, against the backdrop of an unforgettable summer in Taipei. College freshman Lily Chen is off to spend the summer in Taipei at an intensive language program, hoping to connect with the culture she inherited but never fully understood. But the classes are gruelling, and her classmates are gossiping viciously about her. She feels adrift, like a foreigner in a country she thought would feel like home. Then, devastating news arrives when Lily’s grandfather passes away, forcing her to grapple with now unanswerable questions about her family’s history. While grieving, Lily finds herself drawn into a journey of self-discovery, seeking to understand herself, her family, and the meaning of home. 

Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel

Emily St. John Mandel’s Exit Party is a breathtaking new story about shadow worlds and fractured timelines. In Los Angeles, in 2031, it’s the first spring after the collapse of the United States, and as peacekeeping troops withdraw from the city, the curfew is finally lifted. Ari Waker and her roommate pass the gauntlet of bomb-sniffing dogs, shanty towns, and Red Cross tents on their way to a party. Here, the mood is ecstatic, as people drink and dance, until, suddenly — a shift. An uncanny doppelganger stumbles through the crowd, and out into the night, and Kareem, the party’s host, disappears. As Ari works to unravel the mysteries of this night, a story unfurls, taking us from a future America, fractured by civil war, to the seaside cliffs of Greece, where weapon dealers hide in an elegant resort, to the domed city of Paris, to a colony on the moon.

Hail Mary by Elizabeth Urso

Elizabeth Urso’s Hail Mary is a thriller about a woman returning to her small hometown and a haunted family business, where generational secrets and cold cases refuse to stay buried. The Foreman family has made their fortune burying the dead (and allegedly not just through their family’s funeral service business). Mary Foreman fled town years ago to escape her family’s legacy, but when her estranged mother reappears during a local election, reigniting rumours of corporate corruption and criminal activity, Mary’s uncle summons her to help with his campaign. She leaves Toronto, and takes up residence in Foreman house, the now vacant gothic mansion that was once home to both the Foremans and their infamous funeral business. Embroiled in a criminal investigation with eerie parallels to several cold cases, Mary begins to unravel the truth rooted in her cursed family line, the haunted funeral home she grew up in, and the crime her mother was tried for decades earlier. 

Heatstroke by Meredyth Cole

Meredyth Cole’s Heatstroke is a “deliciously unhinged” queer debut that follows January, a devoted lover and wannabe screenwriter, who finds herself unable to love or write after she learns that her (now ex) girlfriend cheated on her. Restless and questioning everything, January and her stoic bestie Laura decide to travel to California in order to alleviate their grief. January immerses herself in a life of indulgence, until she makes eye contact with a telepathic bunny, inhabited by the spirit of Lord Byron’s muse, Caroline Lamb. This is a weird and wonderful story about obsession and madness, and I can’t get enough of that cover.

OCTOBER

The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth

In The Sixth Faction, bestselling author  Veronica Roth is revisiting her Divergent series through a reimagining of the story that asks: What if Beatrice (Tris) Prior had made a different choice? Featuring many of the characters you grew to love (or hate) in the original Divergent series, this brand new duology is perfect for anyone craving heart-pounding action, political intrigue, and romance, all in one. Beatrice Prior stands on the brink of a decision every person in her world has to make — a decision between five futures, and five factions. She’s got a plan, but when tragedy strikes at her Choosing Ceremony, everything changes — including Beatrice herself. Her ensuing decision throws her into the crosshairs of an underground rebellion, and in the path of a boy with dangerous secrets – a boy with only a number for a name. One choice will change everything.

The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Katherine Reay’s The Undercover Bookshop is set in the winter of 1950, in the small Cotswold village of Great Rollright, where amateur sleuth and bookshop owner Gemma Brown starts suspecting the town’s best baker, Ursula Beurton, of being a Soviet spy, throwing her into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. Following her instincts, and the things she’s learned through fiction, Gemma soon becomes embroiled in international intrigue involving the village’s mysterious benefactor, Lady Marchmount, MI5, and the KGB.

Learning to Breathe by Clara Hughes

Six-time Olympic medalist Clara Hughes is back with another memoir, Learning to Breathe, a story of healing and transformation in midlife. As an elite athlete, and the only person who has won multiple medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, Clara thrived on powering through pain, despite the profound consequences on her body and mind. Following her retirement from sport, a catastrophic knee injury coincided with menopausal hot flashes and mood swings, forcing her into stillness, and her depression that was once kept at bay threatened to loom again. How do you move forward when the body you’ve always relied on doesn’t bounce back like it used to? Clare sought help through traditional avenues, but after discovering how little support there is for people in menopause, she turned to a different kind of medicine, entering the world of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Through guided experiences, Clara begins a winding trip back to herself, through this funny, vulnerable and wise story about the terrors and joys of change, and the potential for new beginnings at any stage.

Dina Gets Lucky by Uzma Jalaluddin

Uzma Jalaluddin’s Dina Gets Lucky is a delightful new second-chance romance. It follows Dina Haq, a Toronto attorney, who is looking forward to her influencer sister’s lavish South Asian wedding. She doesn’t want to overshadow the event by telling everyone that her own marriage has fallen apart, and she just needs to make sure her ex keeps his mouth shut too. Things get complicated, however, when she discovers that the groom’s best man is Luqman “Lucky” Latif, the law school crush who ghosted her several years ago. Lucky was forced to abandon his ambitions to help his struggling family in Chicago, and has now rebuilt his life, and moved on from past hurts. At least until he sees Dina again — the woman who not only rejected him, but also had the nerve to marry his best friend. As the wedding festivities unfold, Dina and Lucky rediscover their connection, and begin to unravel their almost-love story. The past didn’t happen the way either of them thought, but maybe it’s not too late to build a new future together?

A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas

There’s not a lot known about Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Splintered Harmony, but what we do know is that it is the newest installment of her bestselling BookTok favourite A Court of Thorns and Roses series, and that it’s likely to be one of the biggest books of the year. Fans of the romantasy series are sure to be thrilled to be rewarded for their patience, as it’s been years since the last book in the series was published.

NOVEMBER

Defy the Dusk by Danielle L. Jensen

Canadian romantasy sensation Danielle L. Jensen is back with Defy the Dusk, the first in a brand new gritty, post-apocalyptic fantasy duology. Twenty years ago, Lirien’s magic fractured the world, unleashing nocturnal creatures that brought civilization to its knees. Among the carnage, however, came salvation. The most powerful survivors were invited to board Dawnrider, a high-speed rig that would deliver those aboard into a new era. In the years since, Lirien has dedicated her magic to Dawnrider, while secretly plotting to overthrow its tyrannical ruler. But just as she’s getting ready to strike against him, she’s abducted by Vox, king of the feralists. He gives her two choices: fight the creatures that hunt the knight, or be fed to them. Lirien agrees to join his ranks, while planning her return to Dawnrider, but as Vox pushes her to her limits, she begins to question what the true path to salvation really is.

Before I Let You Go by Hazel Mae

Blue Jays fans are probably already familiar with the iconic Hazel Mae, but her memoir Before I Let You Go is for everyone. This is an inspirational and candid story of working hard and making your dreams come true. It starts during the beloved sportscaster’s early life in the Philippines, to her arrival in Canada, and her rise through the ranks of sports journalism, offering an honest behind-the-scenes look at her life. She reflects on breaking into broadcasting, her experiences in the US sports media scene, her return home to the Blue Jays, and much more.

Soul Sworn by Kate Dylan

Kate Dylan’s Soul Sworn is a thrilling and steamy new book in a brand new duology following two ruthless assassins and their deadly romance. Talia has been killing for most of her life, since the plague took her parents, leaving her with a young sister to protect. She had no choice but to become a reaper, a blade for hire who uses her looks, charm, and her rare ability to sense lies, in order to rid clients of their sworn enemy: the person destined to kill their soulmate. Cain Hawthorne never intended to be a killer, but as a child, he was given to the Brotherhood, where his mandate is to track down and kill rogue reapers — a sacred duty he’s willing to fulfil, even if it means he can never seek out his soulmate. When a dangerous client demands that Talia make a shameful kill, the Brotherhood sends Cain to make sure she doesn’t succeed, thrusting them both into a lethal game of seduction, deceit, and hidden identity. Here, they must confront their deepest fears and greatest desires, challenging everything they’ve ever known.

DECEMBER

Kissing Cowboys by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot hive, we are SO back! Kissing Cowboys is The Princess Diaries author’s latest, a teen romcom set at a ranch full of boys. Sixteen-year-old Winn Riley is a New York City girl, but her life gets turned upside down when her mom moves their family to Montana, where she’ll be teaching at a working-farm school for troubled genius boys…plus Winn, the only female student there. Winn has traded the city lights for a new form of entertainment: boys. These boys work on the ranch all day and attend classes at night. Some of them are pretty cute… how will she endure an entire semester of this?

Sleep Well by Dr. Woganee Filate

Respirologist and sleep-medicine physician Dr. Woganee Filate’s Sleep Well is an evidence-based guide to taking back your sleep during perimenopause, menopause, and beyond, from one of the co-founders of Canada’s premier clinic for women’s health. Women can carry quite an invisible mental load, juggling work, family, aging parents, responsibilities, and so much more. Then, midlife hits, and sleep — the thing we need most — starts to become harder and harder, as you find yourself waking up overheated, anxious, aching, or restless. But it doesn’t have to be this way. This is a groundbreaking guide that cuts through generic sleep advice to address what’s really happening in your body. You’ll learn why conventional sleep wisdom doesn’t always apply to women in their midlife, and the ways perimenopause and menopause can impact you. This is an expert guide, geared towards your body, allowing you to reclaim the rest you deserve.

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Ameema Saeed (@ameemabackwards) is a storyteller, a Capricorn, an avid bookworm, and a curator of very specific playlists and customized book recommendations. She’s a book reviewer, a Sensitivity Reader, a book buyer at Indigo Books & Music, and the Books Editor for She Does the City, where she writes and curates bookish content, and book recommendations. She enjoys bad puns, good food, dancing, and talking about feelings. She writes about books, big feelings, unruly bodies, and her lived experiences, and hopes to write your next favourite book one day. When she’s not reading books, she likes to talk about books (especially diverse books, and books by diverse authors) on her bookstagram: @ReadWithMeemz