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Readers' Most Anticipated August Books
At the beginning of each calendar month, Goodreads’ crack editorial squad assembles a list of the hottest and most popular new books hitting shelves, actual and virtual. The list is generated by evaluating readers’ early reviews and tracking which titles are being added to Want to Read shelves by Goodreads regulars.
Each month’s curated preview features new books from across the genre spectrum: contemporary fiction, historical fiction, mysteries and thrillers, sci-fi and fantasy, romance, horror, young adult, nonfiction, and more. Think of it as a literary smorgasbord. Check out whatever looks delicious.
New in August: Silvia Moreno-Garcia explores the shadows of golden age Hollywood in The Seventh Veil of Salome. The acclaimed writing team known as James S.A. Corey launches a new sci-fi series with The Mercy of Gods. And debut author Hayley Dennings presents a murder mystery in Jazz Age Harlem—with vampires!
Also on tap this month: Shakespearean historical fiction, an adventurous bisexual romance, and a frighteningly plausible vision of near-future American dystopia.
Add the books that catch your eye to your Want to Read shelf, and let us know what you're reading and recommending in the comments section.
Each month’s curated preview features new books from across the genre spectrum: contemporary fiction, historical fiction, mysteries and thrillers, sci-fi and fantasy, romance, horror, young adult, nonfiction, and more. Think of it as a literary smorgasbord. Check out whatever looks delicious.
New in August: Silvia Moreno-Garcia explores the shadows of golden age Hollywood in The Seventh Veil of Salome. The acclaimed writing team known as James S.A. Corey launches a new sci-fi series with The Mercy of Gods. And debut author Hayley Dennings presents a murder mystery in Jazz Age Harlem—with vampires!
Also on tap this month: Shakespearean historical fiction, an adventurous bisexual romance, and a frighteningly plausible vision of near-future American dystopia.
Add the books that catch your eye to your Want to Read shelf, and let us know what you're reading and recommending in the comments section.
Superstar author Jodi Picoult specializes in contemporary and historical fiction that explores complex moral issues in society. Her latest novel qualifies on both counts, deploying dual timelines to follow the struggles of two ambitious female authors—one in the present day, one in 1581. You may notice that the second timeframe suggests Shakespeare. You may suspect that’s relevant. You may be right. Bonus trivia: Picoult has written several issues of the comic book series Wonder Woman.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of the hugely popular 2020 horror novel Mexican Gothic, returns to shelves this month with a historical novel set in the shadows of golden age Hollywood. The gist: In 1950s Los Angeles, two actresses vie for the role of legendary princess Salome. Scandal and intrigue ensue. But the really interesting part goes back a few thousand years, as we learn some intriguing details about the ancient princess herself.
Best friends since childhood, Jess and Storey take two weeks out of each year to go off-grid, hiking and hunting in the woods of rural Maine. Their latest trip takes a turn when they return to find America has abruptly descended into civil war. Dodging military patrols and secessionist militias, they pick up a third companion: an abandoned child. Clearly resonant with contemporary fears, Peter Heller delivers a disturbingly plausible dystopian vision.
The debut novel from writer Gina María Balibrera introduces two sisters from El Salvador with a story unlike any other. Fleeing the cruelties of genocide and an occult-obsessed dictator, the sisters make their way around the world—Hollywood, Paris, New York City—haunted by the ghosts of their murdered friends and family. Balibrera’s ambitious novel combines elements of historical fiction, magical realism, alternate history, and a bold kind of imaginative conjecture—call it speculative mythology.
When a young nanny is found dead amid the nastiness of a bitter divorce, attorney Stella Hudson is assigned to represent the best interests of the couple’s only child. Nine-year-old Rose Barclay hasn’t spoken a word since the mysterious death, and she may be the only witness. But why is the child collecting sharp objects? And why has the sprawling Barclay estate replaced all glass with plastic? Sarah Pekkanen (Gone Tonight) delivers a psychological mystery-thriller where everyone is a suspect.
Fans of Red, White and Royal Blue will want to check out the new rom-com from author Casey McQuiston, which proposes a fascinating thought experiment: What happens when two bisexual exes accidentally book the same European food-and-wine tour? Answer: They challenge each other to an international hookup competition! Naturally. Starting with the hot Italian tour guide, Theo and Kit embark on a series of wagers to prove that they’re truly over each other. Sure, Jan.
This third installment in Hannah Grace’s Maple Hills series follows college junior and hockey team captain Henry Turner, whose demanding class load has him stressed out. Enter young achiever Halle Jacobs, who’s juggling her own overstuffed schedule. Both are searching for some way to, you know, release all that tension. When Halle agrees to tutor Henry…well, I think we’re all familiar with this particular daydream. Can these two young people help each other out?
The new book from Ava Reid (A Study in Drowning) reimagines Shakespeare’s famous tragedy with Lady Macbeth at the center of the action. Flipping the villainess role entirely, Reid presents a resourceful young woman forced to marry a Scottish brute and find her way in a treacherous new world. To survive, she’ll need to call on all her shrewdness and savvy. Oh, and her witchcraft. Can’t forget the witchcraft. Clearly, Reid has some interesting new ideas for this retelling.
Billed as the kind of book that might have happened had Agatha Christie written fantasy novels, this BookTok hit from the U.K. is now hitting U.S. shores. The setup: In the magical land of Concordia, 12 powerful heirs embark on a peacekeeping voyage aboard the emperor’s flagship. When one of the VIPs is murdered, the sleuthing falls to our hero Ganymedes Piscero—quirky, queer, and a real bastard (in the aristocratic bloodline sense of the term.)
Devotees of galaxy-spanning science fiction will want to check out this one, the latest from the writing team behind the acclaimed space opera series The Expanse. In a far-future universe, the last remnants of humanity are abducted and forced into a Darwinian cage match with another captive species. Only one man has the vision to recognize the divide-and-conquer politics—and fight the real enemy. We suspect allegory. The Mercy of Gods is the first in a planned trilogy.
Estamos rodeados de fantasmas. That’s what Gabe’s grandmother always used to say: We are surrounded by ghosts. In the new horror novel from Gabino Iglesias (The Devil Takes You Home), five childhood friends set out to avenge a murder by tracking down the leader of Puerto Rico’s most dangerous drug gang. But things are about to get a lot more complicated. A storm-of-the-century hurricane is coming, bringing with it evil spirits that owe allegiance to no mortal.
With the dystopian fever dream Hum, celebrated Brooklyn author Helen Phillips (The Need) imagines a future in which the very fundamentals of society have been transformed by climate change, artificial intelligence, surveillance technology, economic inequality, and electronic addiction. When a desperate mom agrees to a dangerous experiment, she’s forced to put her trust in a new breed of hyper-advanced robots. Phillips’ style of cerebral sci-fi has been compared with that of Haruki Murakami and Margaret Atwood.
August is shaping up to be a strong month for speculative fiction. Set in Jazz Age Harlem, this fascinating debut YA novel from author Hayley Dennings blends period fiction with sapphic romance, a citywide murder mystery, and some interesting alternate-history world-building. Two former friends—one human, one not so much—team up to fight a supernatural conspiracy in a dark and dangerous city. They’ll have to deal with their feelings first. Also: vampires. Lots and lots of vampires.
Behind-the-curtains-style memoirs are always compelling, and here’s one whose subtitle says it all: How Nannying for the 1% Taught Me About the Myths of Equality, Motherhood, and Upward Mobility in America. Desperate to pay off her college loans, Stephanie Kiser spent seven long years nannying for crazy-rich families on New York City’s Upper East Side. She’s seen some things. She has some thoughts. But she really did love those kids.
Multimedia artist and reluctant celebrity Anna Marie Tendler has written one of the year’s most intimate and courageous books, a kind of literary self-portrait about womanhood in the 21st century. After her stay in a psychiatric hospital in 2021—and a very public split with a very famous comic—Tendler began a grueling journey of painful healing. Using the residential treatment as a pivot point, Tendler recounts her experiences and examines the unrelenting pressures women face today.
Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!
Comments Showing 1-50 of 102 (102 new)
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Law
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Aug 01, 2024 01:56AM
The only book that looks good is This Ravenous Fate. I'd skip the rest. They might disappoint me.
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Sunbirds, out today, is a beautifully written book by Penelope Slocombe. It definitely deserves a mention.
Law wrote: "Also, there are lots of queer books. There are few authors of colour here on this list."Is there something wrong with there being a lot of queer books?
Laura wrote: "Law wrote: "Also, there are lots of queer books. There are few authors of colour here on this list."Is there something wrong with there being a lot of queer books?"
No, there isn't. Do you find anything wrong?
I've already read House of Glass and it was totally worth the hype. A thriller called Wordhunter, by Stella Sands, was likewise an amazing read with an unorthodox protagonist. I'm reading A House of Bone and Rain right now and it's absolutely brilliant. Titles I'm excited for this month include: Under the Surface by Diana Urban, Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid (how this isn't on this list I don't know), Through the Midnight Door by Katrina Monroe, Mistress of Lies by K. M. Enright, and Wisteria by Adalyn Grace.
I’m excited for the release of “A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy “, and “Our Narrow Hiding Places” (historical fiction set in WW2 Amsterdam).
How about keeping an open mind whenever these lists come out? No need to comment how disappointing the lists are. Stick to the Browse tab and hit the New Releases, where you can either hit "authors you've read" or "genres" and have a plethora of new books that may interest you. Just a tip!
Kristen wrote: "Stick to the Browse tab and hit the New Releases, where you can either hit "authors you've read" or "genres" and have a plethora of new books that may interest you. Just a tip! "^ That's actually a fantastic tip; I rarely deliberately go looking for new releases...but I didn't even know that feature was there! Ability to see new releases from authors I've already read (and only those) all in one place, by month, is so cool.
Kristen wrote: "How about keeping an open mind whenever these lists come out? No need to comment how disappointing the lists are. Stick to the Browse tab and hit the New Releases, where you can either hit "authors..."Isn’t that the point though? I didn’t like anything on this list and said so, which I’m entitled to do. Then I suggested a book which is released today which not many people have heard of. I wasn’t being critical, just making my point.
why are people in the comments of these always so negative 😭
I look forward to anything new by Silvia Garcia-Moreno. I think she's an amazing author. The Seventh Veil of Salome sounds interesting.
Who put together this lame list? One of the most anticipated books by the great William Kent Krueger is releasing in August - SPIRIT CROSSING. #20 in the Cork O'Connor series.
Stephanie wrote: "I’m excited for the release of “A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy “, and “Our Narrow Hiding Places” (historical fiction set in WW2 Amsterdam)."Been on Goodreads since 2017 and never knew about that particular Browse feature. Thanks, Kristen! My TBR list will grow ever bigger!
Kristen wrote: "How about keeping an open mind whenever these lists come out? No need to comment how disappointing the lists are. Stick to the Browse tab and hit the New Releases, where you can either hit "authors..."Thank you. I don't know what the point of saying these don't sound good is. They give you so many ways to get book recommendations on here.
Samantha wrote: "I look forward to anything new by Silvia Garcia-Moreno. I think she's an amazing author. The Seventh Veil of Salome sounds interesting."Me too! I have not read Mexican Gothic yet, but I hope to soon! Another author (very similar writing from what I've heard) is Isabel Cañas who I really hope comes out with a third book!!!
My list for August:The Bookseller Of Paris by Suzanne Kelman
Love And Other Lost Things by Melissa Wiesner
House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
The Chamber by Will Dean
The Body Next Door by Maia Chance
A World Of Hurt by Mindy Mejia
Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino
Arkangel by James Rollins
Unbalanced by D.P. Lyle
Kent State by Brian VanDeMark
Society Of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman
When The Sky Falls by B.R. Spangler
When The Dawn Breaks by B.R. Spangler
Faithful Politics by Miranda Zapor Cruz
An Echo In Time by Boo Walker
No Democracy Lasts Forever by Erwin Chemerinsky
Good Boys: The Lost Tribe by Jeremy Robinson
Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer
The Twin by Steena Holmes
I’m still reading my July book, I may try the Jodi Picoult book out of these. Be open minded, a book that you least expect to be good may be great!!
Where is Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino? That's the book I'm waiting for.
Susan wrote: "Kristen wrote: "How about keeping an open mind whenever these lists come out? No need to comment how disappointing the lists are. Stick to the Browse tab and hit the New Releases, where you can eit..."People can like what they want. People can hate what they want, and it's okay.
Might mess around and read Lady MacBeth, idk! Not even remotely close to my usual genres, but vibing with that idea.
I'm not going to hate on the list like so many others, however I think it is a travesty that Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman is not on it. Her first two books were exceptional and I just finished an ARC for this one and loved it.
Also didn't Voyage of the Damned come out in January?
Susan wrote: "Nothing appeals to me on this list."Agree.
These are a few that should be included (some were mentioned by others):Arkangel -- James Rollins
Shadow of Doubt -- Brad Thor
Worst Case Scenario -- T.J. Newman
Shadow State -- M.P. Woodward
The Mistress and the Key -- Ben Mezrich
Kristen wrote: "How about keeping an open mind whenever these lists come out? No need to comment how disappointing the lists are. Stick to the Browse tab and hit the New Releases, where you can either hit "authors..."There's always someone who has to yuck on everyone else's yum!!
Kristen wrote: "How about keeping an open mind whenever these lists come out? No need to comment how disappointing the lists are. Stick to the Browse tab and hit the New Releases, where you can either hit "authors..."Brilliant idea, thank you! Doing this I came across Crimson Crown, which is just my kind of book. And I had no idea Jeff VanDerMeer was coming out with a Southern Cross Book #4, Absolution! Can't wait for that. I'll be checking out New Releases from now on.
If i want to read books online, where can i read?
I am SO tired of all the House of this and that titles. If you can imagine a whole book you should be able to imagine a unique title as well.
None of the books on this specific list look too interesting to me personally, but when I tell you seeing Lady Macbeth as one gave me immediate flashbacks to reading Beowulf in English class? I won’t be picking that one up for sure lol
At the top of my list areBy Any Other Name
Daydream
The Pairing
All these books sound a bit too heavy for the end of summer. I'm looking forward to another visit with Chet and Bernie in A Farewell to Arfs by Spencer Quinn due to release 8/6/24!
I enjoyed Mexican Gothic so will definitely give their new book a chance. Toddlers personal assistant looks intriguing and a light read, as well.
Laura wrote: "Law wrote: "Also, there are lots of queer books. There are few authors of colour here on this list."Is there something wrong with there being a lot of queer books?"
yes, queers make up a small fraction of the general population yet most Lit books are about them or some minority check box victim-hood. How about books about normal people instead of the elite victim-hood class.
Amanda wrote: "why are people in the comments of these always so negative 😭"Because this list sucks. Come on Donna Tart, hurray!
Aaron wrote: "Laura wrote: "Law wrote: "Also, there are lots of queer books. There are few authors of colour here on this list."Is there something wrong with there being a lot of queer books?"
yes, queers mak..."
So, you're saying queer people are overrepresented in books and there should be books about straight people on this list?
My anticipated books for August is super short! 🙃 In addition to the new James S A Corey above… ✨Pupposites Attract Vol. 1 - Hono Natsuna 06/08
✨The Lantern of Lost Memories - Sanaka Hiiragi 22/08
✨The Dark Wives - Ann Cleeves 29/08
(UK release dates)
Looking forward to reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "The Seventh Veil of Salome" and Peter Heller's "Burn". Two very different authors who I have immensely enjoyed in the past.
I’m excited about a few of these! Not that I need any more on my giant ever growing list of books I want to read. HahaKeep an open mind about upcoming books and you never know what new favourite author or series you may find. 😊
I have By Any Other Name on hold at my local library. Also, Lianne Moriarty has a new novel coming out at the end of August!
The comments on here are more entertaining than the list. 😆I'm looking forward to Peter Heller's book and maybe Sarah Pekkanen if the reviews look strong.
I'm way more excited for the new Abi Dare book than any of these. The Girl with the Louding Voice was one of my fav books the year I read it.
Laura wrote: "Law wrote: "Also, there are lots of queer books. There are few authors of colour here on this list."Is there something wrong with there being a lot of queer books?"
uh yeah
A couple sound interesting to me, but I don't want to add any more to my want-to-read lists. Maybe if my local library gets them.The August read I'm most looking forward to is Shameless: Republicans' Deliberate Dysfunction and the Battle to Preserve Democracy
He was the first American political commentator I watched on You Tube.
before that I got my American news from Trevor Noah & Seth Meyers.
Peter Heller Burn looks good, i always pass on his books but hear great things about them...ehhh on the rest
"Lady Macbeth" by Ave Reid, would be my pick for August.
Very excited for a new James S.A. Corey book!!! :D
I too am very excited for The Mercy of Gods. The Expanse Series was by far my favorite Science Fiction books of the 2010s.
Representation matters. I may not read many of these but I’m glad everyone can find something. This is a great start. Thanks. I have iglesias book on audiobook. can’t wait to start.
Also looking forward to the newest Preston and child book from the Pendergast series.
May check out the picoult novel too.
