With August fast approaching, the time has come to look toward the next wave of book releases coming down the pipeline. Here are 10 promising books to keep an eye out for in August, listed in alphabetical order.
1. “Carrie Soto Is Back” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In recent months, Reid’s work has experienced a surge in popularity, in large part thanks to TikTok. Her previous books, most notably “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” “Daisy Jones and the Six,” and “Malibu Rising,” have become near-constant recommendations from social media influencers and bookstore employees alike. This upcoming release, which will be available to the general public on Aug. 30, chronicles the journey of world-renowned tennis player Carrie Soto as she returns to the court after over half a decade of retirement to defend her legacy. If the pattern set by Reid’s other books continues to hold, “Carrie Soto Is Back” will be a smash hit, and is definitely worth looking for in the near future.
2. “Diary of a Void” by Emi Yagi
Described as “thrillingly subversive,” Yagi’s debut novel tells the tale of a woman named Ms. Shibata; faced with gender-based mistreatment and discrimination at her workplace, she pretends to be pregnant, using her male coworkers’ ideas about pregnancy and expectant mothers to better her treatment in the workplace. However, as anyone who has ever watched “Glee” can attest to, faking a pregnancy is a very difficult task, and Ms. Shibata must grapple with the consequences of her actions as her lie begins to control her entire life. With the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade and the added baggage that comes with pregnancy, it is entirely possible that this work will be upsetting or feel tone-deaf. However, it also has the potential to be excellent, and that potential alone makes “Diary of a Void” worth picking up.
3. “Don’t Go To Sleep” by Bryce Moore
As a general rule, books that fall into the thriller category tend to be somewhat divisive — people either love them or hate them. Set in 1918 New Orleans, “Don’t Go To Sleep” takes what can sometimes feel like a tired genre and gives it a fresh historical twist. With an average Goodreads rating of 3.43 out of 5, it seems unlikely that this book will end up being a revelation, but for those who like historical fiction and serial killer sagas, this book could end up being a hidden gem.
4. “Fruit Punch” by Kendra Allen
The first nonfiction book on this list, “Fruit Punch” is a millennial memoir about the author’s experiences growing up as a Black female in Dallas, Texas. Fellow author Deesha Philyaw described the work as, “stunning, poetic, and absolutely devastating,” praise that is echoed when describing Allen’s two previous works as well. For a book that weaves together race, class, gender and geography with the expertise and precision that can only come from experience, look no further than “Fruit Punch” when it gets released.
5. “Haven” by Emma Donoghue
A survival story, Donoghue’s most recent novel is the story of three men — a priest and two monks — as they attempt to find a place to build a monastery. Donoghue, who is perhaps best known for writing “Room,” uses this work of historical fiction set in Ireland to grapple with adventure, faith and what it really means to make decisions in the name of God.
6. “How To Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying)” by Cristina Fernandez
In her debut piece of writing, Fernandez crafts the story of Astrid, a pre-med student who must come to terms with the sudden and dramatic realization that her boyfriend Max is, in fact, a real-life superhero. Weaving together romance, action and several aspects of a coming-of-age narrative, “How To Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying)” promises to be, at minimum, a very light and cute love story.
7. “How You Grow Wings” by Rimma Onoseta
In this story, a pair of incredibly different Nigerian sisters break apart and fall together as they attempt to deal with tumultuous family relationships, morality and what loyalty truly looks like. With a substantial series of shining Goodreads reviews, it appears that “How You Grow Wings” is destined to be a powerful and hype-worthy debut for Onoseta, and it seems to most definitely be worth a read.
8. “Love on the Brain” by Ali Hazelwood
Another author who has seen their popularity increase due to TikTok, Hazelwood chose to stick with the script for this novel — so much so, in fact, that one Goodreads reviewer argued that “Love on the Brain” and Hazelwood’s other so-called “STEMinist rom-com,” “The Love Hypothesis,” feature nearly identical characters and trajectories, with deviations only appearing here and there. For readers looking for something fresh, this romance novel probably won’t be the best choice. However, for those who enjoy an enemies-to-lovers plotline and want to enjoy a light-hearted story with a science backdrop, “Love on the Brain” fits the bill.
9. “On the Subject of Unmentionable Things” by Julia Walton
A work of fiction that falls firmly into the young adult category, “On the Subject of Unmentionable Things” still promises to pack quite a punch. Built on sex positivity, the state of sexual education in the United States, and the sort of courage required to stand up for social justice when those on the other side are calling for your head, the novel crafts a narrative hinging on main character Phoebe Townsend, a high school student who runs an anonymous sex ed blog. For a book that grapples with real-life struggles and strife in an accessible, compelling manner, look no further than “On the Subject of Unmentionable Things.”
10. “The Blame Game” by Sandie Jones
Though this book falls into the same genre as “Don’t Go To Sleep,” the narrative contained within takes a very different tack. As a domestic abuse psychologist, Naomi is tangled in sticky situations day in and day out. However, after one of her clients goes missing alongside all of the files she has on him, she is forced to face the fact that darkness and danger are following both the investigation into his disappearance and her life as a whole. “The Blame Game” seems to be a classic thriller novel and, for fans of the genre, it could be the smash book release of the summer.
