Essentials

Amazon October Prime Day includes deals on bestselling books, plus Oprah's latest book club pick

By Kaylyn McKenna, Carolin Lehmann

Edited By Lily Rose

Updated on: October 11, 2023 / 4:47 PM EDT / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

There are still a few hours left of Amazon's October Prime Day 2023 sale -- grab your next fall read for a discounted price while you still can. Whether you're already an avid reader or looking to get back into reading, we've found major October Prime Day deals on bestselling books to help you find your next novel.

Related: How we pick our products

From YA stories to thrillers to puzzle books and self-help tomes, we've found books for all kinds of readers, and they're on sale now. If you're ready to cozy up with a good read, we've got your ultimate fall book list here, and you won't even have to spend a bundle to get it. Read on for the best Amazon October Prime Day deals on bestselling books.

Best Amazon October Prime Day 2023 deals on bestsellers and more books

Explore these popular on-sale titles to find your next fall read. Hurry -- Amazon October Prime Day ends tonight!

A CBS Essentials bestseller: 'Murdle: Volume 1': $12

If you know someone who relishes the excitement of solving a gripping mystery, "Murdle" is a must-read. This CBS Essentials bestselling book presents a collection of bite-sized mystery puzzles that will immerse you in a world of clues, witness interviews and deductive reasoning as you work to complete the grid and solve the crime. What makes it even more enticing is the buried secret underlying each murder, with a message waiting to be deciphered once you've cracked them all!

It's on sale at Amazon now for just $12 (regularly $16). Once you solve "Murdle: Volume 1," be sure to check out "Murdle: Volume 2".

Why we like 'Murdle':

It's a fun puzzle book filled with stories that will keep you entertained for hours.

$12 at Amazon

Oprah's latest pick: 'Wellness' by Nathan Hill: $19 (36% off)

The latest selection for Oprah's Book Club is this witty yet insightful novel about relationships and society's hyper-focus on the pursuit of wellness. It follows one couple through their journey from meeting at college in the 90s to navigating present-day suburbia, parenting and wellness trends.

Winfrey called it "a modern take on love, marriage, and society's obsession on improving almost every aspect of our lives–and the impact technology and social media has on our culture and in our lives."

Why we like 'Wellness':

It's a 2023 Oprah Book Club pick.
Reviewers call it impactful, and say that it was hard to put down.
It's a new release that is great for anyone looking for a new fall read or a pick for their own book club.

$19 at Amazon

The first installment of one of Neil Gaiman's most popular series': 'The Sandman 1' by Neil Gaiman: $15 (51%)

Gaiman is a beloved author and screenwriter known for works such as "Coraline," "Good Omens," "American Gods" and more. His popular "The Sandman" series of graphic novels was recently turned into a Netflix adaption. If the series left you wanting more, check out the novels. The first installment is currently on sale for 51% off during the October Prime Day sale on Amazon.

"The writing was beyond superb! Absolutely must read again, Gaiman and the team were above and beyond when this came out," one reviewer writes.

Why we like "The Sandman":

It's an exciting story you can get lost in.
It includes well-done comic art.
It is one of the most critically acclaimed graphic novels of all time.

$15 at Amazon

The book that spawned a popular Amazon series:'The Summer I Turned Pretty' by Jenny Han: $9 (23% off)

If you've been watching "The Summer I Turned Pretty" Season 2, you might want to read the book series while you wait for Season 3. This coming-of-age story follows 15-year-old Belly as she comes into herself, navigates love triangles and spends the summer at the beach.

"I loved Belly and her evolving relationship with the summer boys. But I also think that `The Summer I Turned Pretty' is a rather impressive character exploration," an Amazon reviewer says. "Conrad and Jeremiah are not boy-crush-prototypes. They're both complicated and messy young men. And it's not just that boys who get deep back story - the adults in Han's novel are as important as their children."

Why we like 'The Summer I Turned Pretty':

It's an engaging coming-of-age story.
Fans of the Amazon TV series will enjoy reading the book and learning more details about their favorite characters from the show.
It's from Jenny Han, the author of the popular 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' books.

$9 at Amazon

TikTok's favorite thriller: 'Verity' by Colleen Hoover: $10 (40% off)

Up next is Colleen Hoover's psychological thriller, "Verity." A struggling writer is hired to finish an injured bestselling author's book series, but she finds her unfinished autobiography in her office which contains chilling admissions.

"The tale careens to a jaw-dropping conclusion that will keep readers thinking, discussing and debating Hoover's extremely clever and nuanced tale, as well as her deliciously intriguing and morally ambiguous characters (who may prove themselves to be not as ambiguous as originally thought) for a very, very long time," an Amazon reviewer says.

Why we like 'Verity':

It was a hit on BookTok (the book community on TikTok).
The novel will keep you guessing until the very end.
It has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon with over 310,000 reviews.

$10 at Amazon

Another viral Hoover read: 'It Ends with Us' by Colleen Hoover: $10 (39% off)

If you can't get enough CoHo (that's what Hoover's fans call her), then you need to check out this tale of first loves and domestic violence. It's a thought-provoking read and highlights how some things just aren't that black and white.

"Should we be defined by the worst thing we have done?" an Amazon reviewer asks. "Hoover makes you really think about the gray areas and this book has given me lots of food for thought."

Why we like 'It Ends With Us':

This book went super viral on TikTok and many users credited the book with getting them back into reading.
It's currently being adapted into a film starring Blake Lively.

$10 at Amazon

Get ready for the next 'The Hunger Games' film: 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' by Suzanne Collins: $11 (35% off)

If you became a "Hunger Games" fan during the trilogy's resurgence earlier this year, you might not know about this prequel. It follows the early days of President Snow and is getting a movie adaptation this November.

"This book makes you think. A lot. It makes you question things and wonder if maybe Snow is right," an Amazon reviewer says. "You can see how ["The Hunger Games"] begins to change and grow into what Katniss and Peeta suffered through. You see how it begins to change from a simple punishment to a sport and a holiday, with the growing encouragement that it should be a normal and good thing.

Why we like 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes':

It provides an interesting backstory to some of the events and characters from the popular The Hunger Games series.
You can read the book now before the movie comes out in November.

$13 at Amazon

A Reese Witherspoon-approved read: 'Where the Crawdads Sing' by Delia Owens: $6 (67% off)

'Where the Crawdad Sings' — Penguin Publishing Group via Amazon

This novel was a pick from Witherspoon's book club, and she liked it so much that she produced the film adaptation. Read the book before you watch the movie on Netflix. Can you solve this small-town murder-mystery? It's a tale of isolation and nature.

"What a stunning love letter to the marshlands and suspenseful coming-of-age story," an Amazon reviewer says.

Why we like 'Where the Crawdads Sing':

Author Delia Owens crafts a compelling and suspenseful story that will keep you guessing.
It has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon and a 4.4-star GoodReads rating.

$6 at Amazon

Amazon editors' favorite book of 2022: 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow' by Gabrielle Zevin: $14 (50% off)

What do Amazon, Barnes & Noble and The New York Times have in common? Their editors are raving about the novel "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin, currently on sale during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale. The Amazon editors' 20 best books of 2022 list has "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" in its No. 1 spot, as do the lists of other leaders in the books space. Amazon reviewers love the book too: It's rated 4.5 stars.

"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" is a story about the need to connect that spans 30 years. It follows two friends who become wealthy together at a young age.

Why we like "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow":

It was one of the most popular novels of 2022.
It tells a story of love and friendship in a unique way.

$14 at Amazon

When is Amazon Big Deal Days?

The Amazon Big Deal Days sales event (also known as October Prime Day) kicks off at midnight PT (3:00 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, Oct. 10 and runs through Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

What else is on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days?

During the Amazon Big Deal Days sales event, you'll also find big discounts across all of Amazon's departments, including home, tech, kitchen, fitness and so much more. This is the perfect time to kick off (and potentially even finish) your holiday shopping, without having to deal with Black Friday crowds and having the gifts you want to purchase being sold out. You'll find deals on luggage for your holiday travels, too.

Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop Prime Big Deal Days deals?

While some of the best Amazon Prime Big Deal Days offers are Prime-exclusive or invite-only, there will also be tons of deals that are open to all shoppers. So even if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership, there will be deals available to you.

If you want to shop the best deals, though, you'll want to sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. Prime memberships costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year, and include access to Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football) and a number of other great perks.

Join Prime

What other stores are holding competing early Black Friday sales?

Savvy shoppers know that any of the Amazon Prime Day events offer the perfect time to find tens of thousands of popular products on sale from Amazon, including some at their lowest price of the year. However, many other popular online and retail merchants, such as Walmart, Target, Best Buy and even your favorite department stores, such as Macy's, all tend to kick off sales either at the same time or around the same dates as Amazon Big Deal Days.

Best Buy's 48-Hour Flash Sale is happening on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, the same days as Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days.
Walmart's Holiday Kickoff sale will run from Oct. 9 through Oct. 12.

Do products on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days sell out?

You bet they do -- and sometimes things sell out within hours. If you see something on sale that you want to get your hands on during the Amazon Big Deal Days sale, order it right away. Often, quantities are limited. Once a product is sold out at the sale price, Amazon won't always restock right away and when it does restock, the sale price likely won't be offered.

Can products bought from Amazon during Amazon Big Deal Days be returned?

Unless it specifically states in the product description or near the "add to cart" and "buy now" buttons that the product being offered on sale is a final sale or not returnable, Amazon's regular return policy for that product will be honored.

On the right side of a product description on Amazon, just below the "buy now" button (and where it says "ships from and sold by"), look for the heading that says "returns."

If the text says, "eligible for return, refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt," that's the return policy that will be honored. However, you may be responsible for paying return shipping to Amazon, unless you drop off the product as a Whole Foods or Kohl's, which accepts some Amazon returns.

The best October Prime Day deals at Amazon to shop now

The shopping experts at CBS Essentials are keeping track of the best deals on Amazon right now. Check out our coverage of Prime Big Deal Days below.

Kaylyn McKenna

Kaylyn McKenna is an expert on deals, travel, luggage, home and more for CBS Essentials. When she's not scouring the internet for the best deals on new luggage or robot vacuums, she spends time with her goldendoodle, Harley,

Twitter Instagram