Which Must-Read Fall Book Should You Pick?

September 24, 2026

It’s officially fall, and the era of monumental tomes is in full swing. Here at Lit Hub, we’ve already shared our thoughts on what you ought to read, and steered you toward the titles most likely to spark chatter around the water cooler (do offices still have those?), but if you’re still uncertain about which of this season’s releases to pick up, we proudly unveil a flowchart. Yes—that’s right. Why not?

As is now tradition, our highly paid literary scientists have created this handy and 100 percent accurate method for selecting your next book. Let us know how it works for you—and don’t forget, you can always run it more than once.

[Click the image to view it in a separate window at a larger size.]

2026 fall flowchart lit hub

Isabela Reyes

Isabela Reyes

I write about books as quiet places where memory, imagination, and culture meet. At PLAI, I explore literature through reviews, author stories, reading reflections, and the small details that make a story stay with us long after the final page.