By Dennis Pierce

Social media influencers are helping propel a surge in demand for lifestyle-related content. Publishers are leveraging the built-in following that content creators bring with them from TikTok, Instagram, and other social media channels to drive sales by giving them significant book deals to share their advice on living, loving, crafting, cooking, and decorating.

Many of the top-selling nonfiction genres these days are lifestyle-related content. According to book sales figures from PublishDrive, sales of self-help books more than doubled from 2022 to 2023. Cookbook sales grew by 75 percent during that time, and sales for books focused on enhancing one’s body, mind, and spirit jumped 63 percent.

But it’s not just an author’s following size that matters.

While content creators are getting a lot of book deals, “people want quality,” says Annie Mazes, associate director of library marketing for Hachette Book Group. “If that book turns out not to be great, the fact that they have a huge following isn’t going to matter.”

Among cookbooks, “books that address the challenge of eating in a way that’s sustainable for the planet, but also doesn’t miss out on flavor” are proving to be very popular, Mazes notes.

“People are moving toward plant-based diets, but they want their food to still reflect the flavors that they love,” Mazes continues. “They don’t want it to taste like dry cardboard.”

Fueled in part by concerns about technology’s role in our society, books that connect people to each other and build community, especially across generations, are also on the rise, Mazes says. And as the stigma associated with mental illness disappears, publishers are producing more books aimed at helping readers overcome their mental health challenges.

“People are much more willing to share about the issues they’re facing, and their peers are much more empathetic about it,” says Margo Beren, sales director for New Harbinger Publications. “That’s wonderful to see, because the more open we are to discussing this topic, the more we’re able to help each other.”

Here’s a look at some of the top new life and style releases this fall.

New Harbinger Publications

Based in Oakland, California, New Harbinger is an independent publisher of self-help books focused on psychology, health, spirituality, and personal growth. The company’s evidence-based books and workbooks have been helping readers make positive changes to improve their well-being since 1973.

Published in 2010, Buddha's Brain by neuroscientist Rick Hanson, Ph.D., along with Richard Menduis, M.D., explained how readers could rewire their brains’ neural pathways using practical strategies such as mindfulness exercises and guided meditations to achieve a greater sense of peace and joy. A New York Times bestseller, the book has sold more than 500,000 copies since its release. In March 2025, New Harbinger will be publishing a second edition that coincides with the book’s 15th anniversary.

Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, 2nd Edition , ISBN 9781648485602, will include a new introduction from Hanson detailing what we’ve learned about neuroscience over the last 15 years. “Just like we can train our bodies, we can also train our brains to bring more contentment to our lives,” says Sales Director Margo Beren.

“Nothing tells a child they’re unlovable like a parent rejecting them,” Beren says. This experience can make those who have endured it feel unsafe and unworthy of love. In Healing from Parental Abandonment: Move Beyond Insecure Attachment to Build Safety, Connection, and Trust with Yourself and Others , March 2025, ISBN 9781648484964, psychotherapist and family trauma expert Kaytee Gillis helps readers break free from self-blame and shame, learn to trust themselves and others, and build healthy relationships.

For the tens of millions of people living with diabetes, weight loss is the most commonly prescribed method of treatment. However, evidence now suggests that weight-focused approaches can often result in negative health effects for diabetes patients. In Intuitive Eating for Diabetes: The No Shame, No Blame, Non-Diet Approach to Managing Your Blood Sugar , April 2025, ISBN 9781648484094, registered dietician and author Janice Dada brings the principles of intuitive eating—a proven approach to health and nutrition—to diabetes management so readers can develop a healthier relationship with food.

Hay House Publishing

Founded in 1984 by Louise Hay, one of the pioneers of the modern self-help movement, Hay House publishes books, calendars, journals, and card decks on topics such as personal growth and development, health, meditation, and well-being. The company was acquired by Penguin Random House in January 2024.

Eat Like a Girl: 100+ Delicious Recipes to Balance Hormones, Boost Energy, and Burn Fat by Mindy Pelz, October 2024, ISBN 9781401979447, is a follow-up book to Pelz’s Fast Like a Girl, which has been among Amazon’s top 100 selling books and has helped tens of thousands of women take back their health by adopting a fasting lifestyle since its publication in 2022.

In Eat Like a Girl, Pelz offers more than 100 recipes to support women’s natural body rhythms and help them live healthier lives. The recipes, which contain options for both plant-based and traditional diets, include ideas for quick and easy snacks to sustain readers while they’re fasting, as well as nourishing choices to stabilize blood sugar, bring hormones into balance, and support a heathy gut.

Re-Regulated: Set Your Life Free from Childhood PTSD and the Trauma-Driven Behaviors That Keep You Stuck by Anna Runkel, October 2024, ISBN 9781401978631, introduces a new form of therapy for adults who experienced trauma as children, based on what researchers have learned about the neurological dysregulation that can occur as a result of childhood trauma. Runkle, herself a survivor of a toxic childhood, has helped thousands of people re-regulate their nervous system and break their cycle of isolation and self-defeating behavior through her coaching sessions and YouTube channel under her moniker as the “Crappy Childhood Fairy.”

In 2019, Hay House published artist Chris-Anne’s card deck, The Light Seer’s Tarot , which has shipped more than 250,000 copies. Tarot for Light Seers: A Journey Through the Symbols, Messages, & Secrets of the Cards by Chris-Anne, October 2024, ISBN 9781401978723, expands upon the original deck with a fully realized tarot-reader’s guide filled with interpretations, detailed explanations of the deck’s symbols, and other information.

Podcaster and New York Times-bestselling author Mel Robbins is known for her simple and frank advice for living a happier life. She rose to prominence with a TEDx talk introducing the “five second rule,” in which she advocated for taking action within five seconds of feeling an impulse so as not to overthink it. In The Let Them Theory: The Life-Changing Hack That Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About , December 2024, ISBN 9781401971366, Robbins reveals how two simple words—“let them”—can help readers stop worrying about what others think and do, allowing them to focus on their own happiness and self-fulfillment.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a recognized approach to psychotherapy that conceives of the mind as a family, with different voices—or family members—interacting with one another. In Self Help: This Is Your Chance to Change Your Life , December 2024, ISBN 9781401976668, spiritual leader, self-help guru, and New York Times-bestselling author Gabrielle Bernstein demystifies IFS for readers and offers a simple four-step process for applying IFS to help them resolve their inner conflicts and transform their self-perception.

Hachette Book Group

New York-based Hachette Book Group is one of the largest publishing companies in the world, producing more than 2,100 adult book titles every year. Many of Hachette’s imprints publish lifestyle-related content.

Nature lovers will appreciate Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark by Leigh Ann Henion, September 2024, ISBN 9781643753362, which invites readers to leave their well-lit homes, step outside, and embrace the dark as a profoundly beautiful part of the world we inhabit.

In this book, Henion—a New York Times-bestselling nature writer—explores the flora and fauna that come alive when the sun sets, from bioluminescent mushrooms and other plants that bloom amid the moon’s glow to synchronous fireflies that blink in unison like an orchestra of light.

Scientist, professor, and fear expert Mary Poffenroth has spent her career researching how we can live bolder lives. In Brave New You: Strategies, Tools, and Neurohacks to Live More Courageously Every Day , October 2024, ISBN 9781523518616, she draws upon fields such as biology and psychology to help readers identify the underlying sources of their fears and take actionable steps to overcome them, so they aren’t controlled by fear and can live fuller, happier lives.

With anxiety and depression on the rise since the global pandemic, “this is a very timely and important book,” says Associate Director of Library Marketing Annie Mazes.
 

With social justice awareness on the rise, many crafters are using their artistic interests to inspire positive change, a trend known as “craftivism.” Let’s Move the Needle: An Activism Handbook for Artists, Crafters, Creatives, and Makers; Build Community and Make Change! by Shannon Downey, October 2024, ISBN 9781635868906, provides a roadmap for aspiring craftivists.

Filled with self-reflective activities, exercises, prompts, and stories, the book empowers creative types to channel their passions in the service of political, social, or community issues they care deeply about—proving that anyone can be a change maker and that activism can be enjoyable when combined with art. Downey is the founder of Badass Cross Stitch and Seriously Badass Women, online communities comprised of tens of thousands of crafters.

Actress Pamela Anderson, perhaps best known for her role on the TV series Baywatch in the 1990s, has been in the spotlight recently thanks to a 2023 Netflix documentary about her life. In her new book I Love You: Recipes from the Heart, October 2024, ISBN 9780316573481, she shares 80 of her favorite recipes for cooking with vegetables.

The book—which began as a box of recipe cards she’d assembled as a housewarming gift for her sons—includes such diverse recipes as chicory dandelion coffee, whipped cranberry porridge, green goddess mason jar salad, anti-inflammatory lentil soup, maple-glazed cinnamon rolls, and rustic sourdough bread.

Baking cookbooks tend to be very Euro-centric. Pan y dulce: The Latin American Baking Book by Bryan Ford, November 2024, ISBN 9780316293259, aims to break this mold. Ford—the acclaimed author of New World Sourdough, host of The Flaky Biscuit Podcast,and judge on Netflix's Blue Ribbon Baking Championship —helps home bakers embrace Latin American baking.

150 recipes spanning Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean include techniques for making empanadas, chocolate quinoa bread, and golfeados: salty-sweet rolls drenched in syrup. In addition to practical instructions, Ford discusses the history and culture behind each of these savory treats.

Casemate Publishers

Founded in 2001, Casemate is a Philadelphia-based book publisher and distributor. The company produces about 100 of its own titles per year, mostly on military or local history, and its Casemate IPM division handles North American sales, marketing, and distribution for 50 international publishers.

One of these international firms is U.K.-based Grub Street Publishing, which specializes in aviation history and cooking. Greens & Beans: Green Cuisine with Peas, Lentils, and Beans by Anne-Katrin Weber, October 2024, ISBN 9781911714194, shines a spotlight on cooking with legumes, a key source of protein in vegan and vegetarian diets.

“People often envision a vegan diet as just salads, but there are many ways to prepare healthy and delicious meals using legumes,” Marketing Director Daniel Yesilonis says.

In 2013, Adriana Carrig founded Little Words Project, which uses beaded bracelets to spread kindness and positivity messages in the world. The company has since grown into a multimillion-dollar brand, and now Quarto imprint Rock Point is publishing a book from Carrig.

In The Power of Little Words:How One Kind Word Can Change Everything, September 2024, ISBN 9781577154686, Carrig shares personal stories and anecdotes demonstrating the power of language and the importance of speaking kindly to others—and yourself. The book explores the transformative capacity of more than 50 of the most celebrated words in the Little Words Project community, such as believe, authentic, self-love, gratitude, and fearless.

Watercolor This Book: Learn to Watercolor by Lacey Walker, October 2024, ISBN 9780760391419, teaches the fundamentals of watercolor painting with step-by-step instructions for replicating 20 beautiful paintings at home, from backyard birds to mountain scenes. QR codes embedded throughout the book take readers to online videos where they can see these techniques applied.

“So much of the learning in the arts and crafts space happens through video tutorials,” Caranante notes. “To be able to integrate those into a print-format book is powerful.”

Shawna Holman is the creator behind A Little Less Toxic, where she gives advice for how people can rid their home environments of harmful chemicals by using all-natural products. In A Healthier Home Cook: Whole Food Recipes, Techniques, and Tips for Families That Want to Eat A Little Less Toxic, October 2024, ISBN 9780760388655, she applies this approach to the kitchen, helping readers avoid chemicals in processed foods through more than 75 recipes focused on eating well for whole-body health.

The Collective Book Studio

Founded in 2019 by Angela Engel, who also serves as publisher, The Collective Book Studio is an independent, full-service partnership publisher that produces high-quality lifestyle, food, gift, and children’s books, with a focus on elevating underrepresented voices.

Monday Night Mocktails: 52 Drinks to Welcome the Week by Jennifer Newens, photography by Alyson Brown, October 2024, ISBN 9781685557690, is a perfect book for people who are looking to cut down on their alcohol consumption but still want to experience the social enjoyment and the authentic aesthetic of unwinding with a drink after a hard day.

The book features 52 seasonal recipes for inspired, easy-to-make nonalcoholic drinks that are as appealing as actual cocktails—one for every week of the year. The recipes include fresh takes on old stand-bys, such as a Fauxjito or a Nearly Negroni, as well as original creations, like the Star Anise Mango Mocktail. Newens is a former cookbook editor who received her culinary training from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

In Entertaining by Design: A Guide to Creating Meaningful Gatherings , October 2024, ISBN 9781685555788, Washington, D.C.-based interior designer Lorna Gross shares her ideas for 17 different gatherings, organized by season—from a small dinner or a garden party to a football bash or a post-Christmas breakfast celebration. For each gathering, she suggests appropriate recipes and decor, such as tableware, place cards, and music. Each gathering also includes suggestions for the best way to invite your guests.

“What I like about this book is how it offers simple steps you can take to enhance the aesthetic experience of any party, like adding a sunflower to the table,” Engel says. “The author shows that creating meaningful gatherings doesn’t have to be expensive.”
 

Aebleskiver: A New Take on Traditional Danish Pancakes by Pim Pauline Overgaard, October 2024, ISBN 9781685557928, introduces readers to æbleskiver, or sphere-shaped Danish pancakes traditionally savored during the holidays and special celebrations. It serves up 70 delicious twists on these classic Danish delicacies, including gluten-free and vegan variations. The author, who also photographed her own creations, was raised in Sweden, educated in Denmark, and now resides in San Francisco, where she works as a designer for Williams Sonoma.

Cooking is a way to bring people together across generations, and two books published by The Collective Book Studio earlier this year highlight this idea.

A Taste of the World: Celebrating Global Flavors by Rowena Scherer, February 2024, ISBN 9781685551728, is designed for parents to cook with their children. It invites the whole family to explore new flavors and cultures through more than 60 recipes tailored to people of all ages. The author, who is from Malaysia, noticed that her children only wanted to eat chicken nuggets and pasta. To encourage children and families everywhere to explore new cuisines, she created eat2explore, a business that created explorer boxes filled with simple yet authentic recipes and activities from cultures all over the world.

Nosh: Plant-Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine by Micah Siva, March 2024, ISBN 9781685553272, fills an important need: plant-based versions of meals served during traditional Jewish celebrations, such as a Seder. When Jewish parents have children who are eating a vegan diet, for instance, they can turn to the recipes in this cookbook—such as making a vegetarian brisket out of mushrooms—to create family dinners to everyone’s needs.

Page Street Publishing

Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Page Street publishes picture books, young adult fiction, and a variety of nonfiction books on topics such as cooking and crafting. The company’s goal is to inspire readers “to do the things they love better.”

This fall, Page Street is leaning into its home city’s reputation for the macabre with two new books for readers who like to embrace their darker side, coming out just in time for Halloween.

Creepy Crafts: 60 Macabre Projects for Peculiar Adults by Ashley Voortman, October 2024, ISBN 9798890031037, shows readers how to make scary jewelry, artifacts, and other decorations—like a teacup on spider legs or a disturbing dollhouse—using upcycled materials from around the house. Voortman is the creator of the TikTok crafting account Peculiarly Ashley, where she shared her ghoulish designs with more than two million followers.

“It’s a great book for anyone who loves spooky things and wants to venture into crafting,” Marketing and Publicity Director Katelynn Jasper says.

Peculiar Baking: A Practical Guide to Strange Confections by Nikk Alcaraz, October 2023, ISBN 9788890030207, includes recipes and instructions for creating 47 decadent but creepy desserts—such as truffles disguised as beetles or an elaborately decorated cake with sharp teeth that will have dinner guests wondering who’s really doing the eating.

Alcaraz is the creator behind the TikTok account Practical Peculiarities, where he shares strange yet artistic recipes with his 1.1 million followers. His culinary creations have been featured by multiple brands and media outlets, including Netflix, Target, HGTV, and more. “His work is similar to what Ashley creates, but edible,” Jasper notes.

This unusual cookbook features a leatherette cover and gilded pages. “We’ve worked to make the exterior as striking as the interior,” Jasper says. “We want this book to be seen as a keepsake that’s around for generations.”

Globe Pequot

Founded in 1947 and based in Essex, Connecticut, Globe Pequot is a publisher and distributor of nonfiction books on numerous topics, including history, entertainment, cooking, crafting, and outdoor recreation. The company was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield in 2014.

Globe Pequot imprint Lyons Press has published a series of books from writer and outdoor adventurer Steve Ramirez that are part meditation, part introspection, and part ode to the natural world. In these books, Ramirez—a former Marine—explores his emotional connection to fly fishing and how he uses this activity to center himself, much like the protagonist in Ernest Hemingway’s acclaimed short story “Big Two-Hearted River.”

The series began in 2020 with Casting Forward, which follows Ramirez’s year-long journey to fish all the major rivers in Texas Hill Country. Casting Homeward, September 2024, ISBN 9781493077694, is the latest book in the series. In it, Ramirez takes readers on a journey to some of the most legendary rivers and landscapes in America—from the songbird-filled hardwoods of New England to the Yellowstone Valley, where bison feed next to tumbling trout streams.

From Globe Pequot imprint Stackpole Books comes Knit Wild by Anna-Sofia Vintersol, September 2024, ISBN 9780811774673. Vintersol is a knitwear designer and artist known as “@loparefur” (“wool fox” in Icelandic) on social media. Her book features sweater patterns inspired by the indigenous cultures from the places she’s lived, such as Norway, Japan, and Alaska. With unisex patterns in sizes ranging from 2XS to 4XL, readers of all body types and genders can take advantage of her designs.

Another Stackpole book aimed at knitters, Victorian Housecats to Knit by Sara Elizabeth Kellner, November 2024, ISBN 9780811772785, combines a glimpse into Victorian life with instructions for knitting 20 cats, geared toward different levels of ability.

Kellner has created an imaginative Victorian household belonging to the fictional Morgan family, in which each room has a very specific purpose—complete with a different feline inhabitant and a family member who takes care of it. Beyond just offering patterns and instructions for knitting each cat, she has “built a tiny Victorian world that gives readers a glimpse into these characters’ lives,” says Associate Marketing Manager Emily Vollmer.
 

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