Our 6 Most Anticipated New Books of Fall — A Big Little Lies Sequel, a Texas Author’s Latest Memoir, and More Must-Reads

A few weeks ago, we published a story rounding up PaperCity staffers’ favorite must-reads of the summer (as well as a few books they’re looking forward to diving into next). Now, as we’re officially in September, I thought I’d highlight some of my top picks for the season. From the sequel to Big Little Lies to a memoir from a Dallas author, these are the must-read new books this fall. As always, we recommend shopping your local Dallas and Houston bookstores.

Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty

A sequel to the 2014 novel Big Little Lies (my favorite book of that year), this psychological thriller is, of course, Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club pick for this month. In a Variety article, Liane Moriarty confirmed that Big Little Truths will lay the groundwork for the TV series’ third season, currently in the works at HBO. Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman will return to reprise their roles as Madeline and Celeste. In the meantime, catch up on the lives of the five women and their now high school-aged kids 10 years later, and all of the drama that encompasses being the parent of a teenager and beyond. Moriarty’s first-ever sequel features a severed finger in the mail, strange men lurking around the school, and the “big little truths” they haven’t yet shared with their children.

The Three Graces of Pearl Street by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins

Just released this September, this debut novel from Elizabeth Wellington Rollins has already gained lots of buzz on Goodreads. It follows an Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter all named after the Roman myth of the Three Graces as they find their lives (and secrets) colliding when they come to live under the same roof after years apart. Graziella is a 96-year-old former nun, Grace is a psychology professor, and her daughter Ella is just trying to find her way in the world. If you enjoy family dramas or historical fiction, this book is for you.

Under Story by Chloe Benjamin

Also just published, this new novel from the author of The Immortalists is Good Morning America‘s Book Club pick for September. A science fiction book, Under Story is ultimately a love story. It centers on biologist Laurel Salter, who is working as a dishwasher on an isolated research base in Antarctica. When a mysterious light appears across the ice, it draws a group of physicists to the base, including her ex-husband, Eli. Laurel is convinced the light leads to another world, while Eli is hesitant to test the theory. The big question is if she can persuade him to risk everything and possibly turn back the clock and try their story again.

The Only Thing There Is to Want: A Memoir of Three Loves by Sarah Hepola

On September 29, Dallasite Sarah Hepola’s latest book, a memoir, will be released, and we can’t wait to check it out. She’s the author of the New York Times bestseller Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank To Forget. Hepola has also written for The New York Times and Glamour, and she’s currently on staff locally at The Dallas Morning News. The new book explores three romantic entanglements in Hepola’s past that defined her adulthood and how modern romance captures a paradox — wanting pushes us forward, but also holds us back.

Partita by Barbara Kingsolver

Coming out on October 6, Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver’s latest novel is about life and art. It follows Livia Cable, a wife who lives a modest life in the farm country where she grew up. One day, a former lover calls her, asking to meet. This was a man she knew when she was a music conservatory student, estranged from her home and family. Told through past and present, Livia confronts memories (from musical dances to traumas of childhood to the relationship with the man who broke her heart) as she decides to accept or reject the reunion. We loved the author’s 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction novel, Demon Copperhead, and can’t wait for another captivating read.

Kingsolver will also be stopping by the Dallas Public Library’s downtown location on October 24 as part of the Pulitzer on the Road traveling exhibition. She’ll be in conversation with 2026 Music winner Gabriela Frank and Ann McCutchan. Register here.

The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon

Arriving on September 8, this historical adventure fiction book was inspired by 16th-century Irish chieftain Grace O’Malley. She commanded ships and led a maritime fleet, defending Irish waters and negotiating with Queen Elizabeth I. O’Malley is known as the Pirate Queen of Ireland. Ariel Lawhon’s (The Frozen River) novel tells the story of O’Malley as she is ousted from her husband’s land after his death and returns to her childhood home. This is where she begins a career as a pirate, claiming new territories and finding new love. Threatened by English incursions into Ireland, O’Malley must protect her family and her homeland.