October will see the release of new books by Bishop T.D. Jakes and Eric Metaxas. Plus, Thomas Moore, who wrote 1995’s bestselling Care of the Soul, is offering a fresh look at the Gospels in his latest title.
Nonfiction
Oct. 1
Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too) by Brandon Vogt (Ave Maria, $20, ISBN 978-1-59471-767-3). Vogt makes a modern case for the faith and answers questions asked by the nonreligious.
Come and See by Todd Wagner (David C. Cook, $22.99, ISBN 978-0-7814-1488-3). Wagner, founding pastor of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Tex., examines God’s vision for life outside of weekly congregations and stresses cultivating vibrant, authentic relationships.
Simple Gatherings by Melissa Michaels (Harvest House, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-7369-6313-8) encourages readers to host get-togethers with 50 affordable ideas and tips on everything from party prepping to creating fun activities that can help build connections.
A Bad Catholic’s Essays on What’s Wrong with the World by Marc Barnes (Liguori, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-7648-2709-9) features essays from a young blogger on various topics in Catholicism and pop culture.
Unruly Catholic Nuns: Sisters’ Stories, edited by Jeana DelRosso, Leigh Eicke, and Ana Kothe (State Univ. of New York, $19.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-4384-6648-4). Through autobiography, fiction, poetry, and prose, sisters and former nuns write about their lived experiences with Catholicism, both in accordance and in conflict with the institutional Church.
Oct. 2
A World Ablaze: The Rise of Martin Luther and the Birth of the Reformation by Craig Harline (Oxford Univ., $27.95, ISBN 978-0-19-027518-1). Harline, a professor of history at Brigham Young University, examines Martin Luther’s life, starting with the first crucial years of the Reformation launched in 1517.
Oct. 3
Choosing Donald Trump: God, Anger, Hope, and Why Christian Conservatives Supported Him by Stephen Mansfield (Baker, $21.99, ISBN 978-0-8010-0733-0). Mansfield explains how a reality TV star and cutthroat business tycoon secured the majority of the religious conservative vote on his way to the presidency.
What the Qur’an Meant: And Why It Matters by Garry Wills (Viking, $25, ISBN 978-1-101-98102-3). Wills, a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and religious scholar, introduces lay readers to the Qur’an with a measured reading of the ancient text.
Divine Encounter with the Holy Spirit by Guillermo Maldonado (Whitaker House, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-62911-898-7). Miami-based pastor Maldonado analyzes the nature and role of the “third person of the Trinity,” providing stories of people whose lives have been transformed by encounters with God’s Spirit.
Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Brokenhearted World by Osheta Moore (Herald, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-5138-0149-0). Blogger and podcaster Moore shares what she learned by challenging herself to study peace in the Bible for 40 days.
Daring to Hope: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful by Katie Davis Majors (Multnomah, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7352-9051-8). The founder of Amazima Ministries (an organization that cares for vulnerable children and families in Uganda) shares her ongoing experiences in Uganda as the adoptive mother to 13 girls, and how she’s wrestled through the darkness of disappointment to find the answer to whether God truly is good.
Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges (NavPress, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-63146-864-3). Bridges, who studied the Bible for over 10 years, argues for the transformative power of accepting God’s love without self-imposed standards and feelings of unworthiness.
Fiercehearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely by Holley Gerth (Revell, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-2289-0). Gerth encourages readers to become the stronger, braver, truer women they long to be by sharing personal stories of struggles and victories.
Fire Road: The Napalm Girl’s Journey Through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace by Kim Phuc Phan Thi, with Ashley Wiersma (Tyndale Momentum, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-4964-2429-7). Phan Thi, whose photo taken during the Vietnam War fleeing raining napalm epitomized the horror and violence of the conflict, explores her experiences with horror, hope, and resilience.
Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World by Eric Metaxas (Viking, $30; ISBN 978-1-101-98001-9). Biographer Metaxas portrays Luther as a humble man with adamant faith and whose teachings can be traced to modern life. 75,000-copy announced first printing.
Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle (Zondervan, $22.99; ISBN 978-0-310-34887-0). Founder of the popular Big mama blog Shankle emphasizes the importance of everyday moments through personal stories about “the smallest, most ordinary acts of faithfulness,” according to the publisher.
Oct. 10
Soar! Build Your Vision from the Ground Up by T.D. Jakes (FaithWords, $25, ISBN 978-1-4555-5390-7). Jakes, bishop of Dallas’ megachurch The Potter’s House, aims to show readers how to transform latent dreams into specific actions in line with God’s vision for the world.
The Simple Faith of Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Religion’s Role in the FDR Presidency by Christine Wicker (Smithsonian, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-58834-524-0). Religion journalist Wicker argues that faith was at the heart of everything Roosevelt wanted for the American people.
Love That Lasts: How We Discovered God’s Better Way for Love, Dating, Marriage, and Sex by Jefferson and Alyssa Bethke (Thomas Nelson, $16.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-7180-3918-9). Writer Jefferson Bethke and his wife, Alyssa, reveal how American culture’s slanted views on love, sex, dating, and marriage infected their own lives and share how to form a healthier and more fulfilling relationship in God’s way.
Single White Monk by Shozan Jack Haubner (Shambhala, $14.95 paper, 978-1-6118-0363-1). The author of Zen Confidential takes readers behind the scenes of life in a Zen monastery once again, this time examining death, illness, and humor.
Oct. 17
Conversations with Mary: Messages of Love, Healing, Hope, and Unity for Everyone by Anna Raimondi (Atria, $22, ISBN 978-1-5011-5635-9). Raimondi, who claims to have first channeled and received messages from Mary when she was five years old, shares lessons on meditation and enlightenment gained from the interactions.
The Daniel Dilemma: How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise by Chris Hodges (Nelson Books, $16.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-7180-9153-8). Hodges, a pastor, draws on the life of the prophet Daniel to offer advice on living according to biblical beliefs without alienating others.
Oct. 24
Gospel—The Book of Luke by Thomas Moore (SkyLight Paths, $21.99, ISBN 978-1-59473-638-4) is a new translation of the Gospels (including commentary) from psychotherapist and former monk and bestselling author Moore (Care of the Soul).
Oct. 31
Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon by Joe Dispenza (Hay House, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-4019-5309-6). Chiropractor Dispenza marries scientific information with ancient wisdom to show how people can experience a more mystical life.
Jewish Comedy: A Serious History by Jeremy Dauber (Norton, $28.95, ISBN 978-0-393-24787-9). Dauber, professor of Yiddish language, literature, and culture at Columbia University, traces the origins of Jewish comedy and its development from biblical times to the age of Twitter.
Own The Moment by Carl Lentz (Simon & Schuster, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-5011-7700-2). Lentz, a popular pastor at New York City’s Hillsong megachurch, lays out steps for achieving a more engaged, spiritually grounded, and fulfilled life.
The Burning Time: Henry VIII, Bloody Mary, and the Protestant Martyrs of London by Virginia Rounding (St. Martin’s, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-250-04064-0) looks at the number of Protestant martyrs burned at the stake in Tudor England and two very different characters of the era: Richard Rich, Thomas Cromwell’s protégé, and John Deane, rector of St. Bartholomew’s.
Fiction
Oct. 3
Dangerous Illusions by Irene Hannon (Revell, $15.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-2767-3) follows detective Colin Flynn and a case involving a grieving woman with apparent memory loss.
Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander (Thomas Nelson, $12.99 paper, ISBN 978-0-310-29324-8). A wounded Confederate soldier and a destitute widow discover the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas Lights by Christine Pisera Naman (Skyhorse, $12.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-5107-2556-0) follows seven women wishing for a Christmas miracle.
Oct. 17
Secret Christmas Twins by Lee Tobin McClean (Love Inspired, $5.99, ISBN 978-0-373-62308-2). Erica Lindholm’s Christmas gift is becoming guardian to twin babies, but fulfilling her promise to keep their parentage a secret becomes increasingly difficult when her holiday plans mean spending time with their uncle on the family farm.
Oct. 20
The Death Beat (Poppy Denby Investigates) by Fiona Veitch Smith (Lion Fiction, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-78264-247-3). Poppy, a writer of obituaries, starts to investigate the mysterious death of a European prince.
Oct. 25
Syllables of Rain by D.S. Lliteras (Rainbow Ridge, $16.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-937907-52-5) follows two friends who must decide if they can move beyond their haunting pasts.
