Best movies of 2023 🍿 How he writes From 'Beef' to 'The Bear' Our free games
Books and Literature

5 books not to miss: Jojo Moyes' 'The Giver of Stars,' Zadie Smith, Leigh Bardugo

"The Giver of Stars," by Jojo Moyes.

In search of something good to read? USA TODAY's Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.

1. “The Giver of Stars,” by Jojo Moyes (Pamela Dorman Books, fiction, on sale Oct. 8)

What it’s about: The best-selling author of “Me Before You” sets her latest story in Depression-era Kentucky, where five women deliver books to people who have never had any as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s traveling library.

The buzz: “Moyes celebrates the power of reading in a terrific book that only reinforces that message,” says critic Patty Rhule in a ★★★½ review for USA TODAY.

2. “How We Fight for Our Lives,” by Saeed Jones (Simon & Schuster, nonfiction, on sale Oct. 8)

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

What it’s about: The prize-winning poet bares his soul in this haunting coming-of-age memoir, which recounts the author’s sexual awakening as a young, gay black man in Texas and the tumultuous relationships that shaped him.

The buzz: “A memoir of coming to terms that’s written with masterful control of both style and material,” says a starred review in Kirkus Reviews.

3. “Grand Union,” by Zadie Smith (Penguin Press, fiction, on sale Oct. 8)

What it’s about: The celebrated author publishes her first collection of short stories, including 11 never-before-published tales. It’s a varied and modern collection, suffused with Smith’s powers of observation and literary prowess.

The buzz: In a starred review, Publishers Weekly calls the story collection “smart and bewitching.”

4. “Ninth House,” by Leigh Bardugo (Flatiron, fiction, on sale Oct. 8)

What it’s about: Bardugo’s first fantasy novel for adults is set at Yale, where burnout Galaxy “Alex” Stern has been offered a free ride – due to her magical ability to see ghosts. In the hallowed hall of the Ivy League, Alex must confront the evils swirling beneath the deceiving surface of tradition.

The buzz: A starred review in Publishers Weekly says, “Fantasy readers, particularly those who love ghosts, will hungrily devour this novel.”

5. “Movies (and Other Things),” by Shea Serrano (Twelve, nonfiction, on sale Oct. 8)

What it’s about: The pop-culture writer and author of “The Rap Year Book” and “Basketball (and Other Things)” turns his attention to another of his loves: movies. Funny, colorful and beautifully illustrated, the book celebrates modern films and pop culture, posing such questions as “Who gets it the worst in ‘Kill Bill’?” and “Were the ‘Jurassic Park’ raptors just misunderstood?"

The buzz: “I want to treat things with respect, even when they’re silly,” Serrano said of his approach in an interview with the Houston Chronicle, which praised the writer’s “smart, funny and off-center observations.”

Featured Weekly Ad