The Goodreads Editors Share Their August Book Picks

Here at Goodreads World Headquarters, we sort through a lot of books each month. Our monthly Readers' Most Anticipated Books feature is exactly that—selections based on the data about the books that Goodreads members are placing on their Want to Read shelves. Essentially, these are the books that your fellow Goodreads regulars are excited about.
Of course, the Goodreads editorial staff gets excited about books, too. And we regularly come across specific new releases that we can’t wait to read—or “won’t shut up about,” to borrow a phrase from the colleagues who sit right next to us.
As to be expected, there are always way more great books each month than we have time to read, so we're passing our findings along to you, complete with genre tags, our unhinged commentary, and general enthusiasm. Think of this list as our intel on the books you might not be hearing about absolutely everywhere else, from two people who really, really want to help you find a great read.
On the docket for August: Victorian paleontology, scary stories in the key of Southwestern Gothic, and a delightful little comedy about the end of the world. Bonus pick: Disco vampires! No, really!
Of course, the Goodreads editorial staff gets excited about books, too. And we regularly come across specific new releases that we can’t wait to read—or “won’t shut up about,” to borrow a phrase from the colleagues who sit right next to us.
As to be expected, there are always way more great books each month than we have time to read, so we're passing our findings along to you, complete with genre tags, our unhinged commentary, and general enthusiasm. Think of this list as our intel on the books you might not be hearing about absolutely everywhere else, from two people who really, really want to help you find a great read.
On the docket for August: Victorian paleontology, scary stories in the key of Southwestern Gothic, and a delightful little comedy about the end of the world. Bonus pick: Disco vampires! No, really!
Cybil can't wait to read this book because: You may remember Regina Porter from her 2019 debut novel, The Travelers. Luckily for all of us readers, she returns this summer with The Rich People Have Gone Away, a COVID-set novel that brings together a group of New York neighbors when a woman disappears after a heated argument with her husband. Early readers are teeing up some serious plot twists as each character's backstory is explored.
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Sharon can't wait to read this book because: I love boldly ambitious, centuries-spanning books. In this latest offering, author Elif Shafak (The Island of Missing Trees) unites ancient Mesopotamia, London in the years 1840 and 2018, and 2014 Turkey through a single drop of water that touches every main character and holds the memories of the universe within it. See what I mean about boldly ambitious?
Genre: Literary fiction
Genre: Literary fiction
Sharon can't wait to read this book because: Good thing Southwestern Gothic is a recognized category of books now, otherwise it'd have to be invented for this uncanny, hallucinatory short story collection. I wish I could have a Want to Read button for every single story. Influencer attempts to derail a brand deal with her violent cult following? WTR. One member of a ghost-hunting couple loses their ability to see spirits? WTR!
Genre: Short stories/fiction/horror
Genre: Short stories/fiction/horror
Cybil can't wait to read this book because: I'm spending this year discovering more short story collections, so when I heard about this fever-dream of a book I was immediately interested. These stories explore what we think we know about migration through dreamlike tales that merge the past and present, the magic and real. Best yet, this is a debut collection, so you can brag later that you "discovered" the work of Ruben Reyes Jr. before your friends did!
Genre: Short stories
Genre: Short stories
Cybil can't wait to read this book because: How about a light comedy about the end of the world and class warfare? A professional underachiever is vacationing at a very high-end White Lotus–like resort when the sun explodes. Will our protagonist rise to the challenge of saving his fellow vacationers or Irish exit with his girlfriend? This is the perfect holiday read for someone who loves something unexpected, humorous, and more than a little wacky.
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Cybil can't wait to read this book because: And now, dear readers, let's take a hard turn into true crime with this in-depth look at one of the most fascinating news stories of recent years. Veteran Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein takes us deep into the world of powerful South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh and explores what led him to murder his wife and son.
Genre: True crime
Genre: True crime
Sharon can't wait to read this book because: Ember Lee Cardinal has finally landed a job after getting a little, ahem, creative on her résumé and unchecking the Native box on her application. Hey, a girl's gotta pay the bills! Things get complicated when a hot IT guy shows up on the scene, and then really complicated when their forbidden liaison leads to a spot of office blackmail. These stakes sure seem high!
Genre: Romance
Genre: Romance
Sharon can't wait to read this book because: While I love sprawling, centuries-spanning reads, I also love a compressed narrative that takes place in a single day. In this humorous, multi-POV debut novel, our protagonist Natwest spends his last day before leaving for university traipsing through his town in search of an undelivered (and deeply embarrassing) package he ordered. What's in the box, Natwest? WHAT'S IN THE BOX??
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Sharon can't wait to read this book because: In a dim theater, an aging playwright waits to watch a play his daughter has written, unaware that it is her version of the summer 10 years ago when he dictated his newest novel to her during a Sicilian vacation. Early reviewers are saying this book about (in the author's own words) "one massive gray area" is super-tense and super-smart.
Genre: Contemporary/literary fiction
Genre: Contemporary/literary fiction
Sharon can't wait to read this book because: In a future where corporations have colonized newly discovered "pocket worlds," disgraced researcher Raquel must try to find a way to right the wrongs of her past. Also, her estranged ex-wife now lives in a tiny pocket world suspended on the end of the necklace she wears. This little novella sure sounds like it'll pack a big punch!
Genre: Science fiction
Genre: Science fiction
Cybil can't wait to read this book because: Author Abi Daré is following up on her beloved book The Girl with the Louding Voice with this novel about heart-wrenching family secrets. Here, Tia overhears a whispered secret between her terminally ill mother and her aunt that will send her on a quest to find her biological mother. Meanwhile, Tia finds herself caring for a teen runaway who dreams of a better life. Little does she know caring for the teen and finding the truth of her family will come at odds.
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Cybil can't wait to read this book because: This sophomore novel from the author of the thriller Stone Cold Fox is a great take on the literary vampire trend we're currently in. Let me simply direct you to the opening sentence on this book's Goodreads page: "Locked in a toxic female friendship, two vampires careen toward catastrophe in this dark and dazzling page-turner, set amidst London's glittering disco scene." Um…yes, please!
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/VAMPIRES
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/VAMPIRES
Dinosaurs at the Dinner Party: How an Eccentric Group of Victorians Discovered Prehistoric Creatures and Accidentally Upended the World
by Edward Dolnick
by Edward Dolnick
Sharon can't wait to read this book because: I was a dinosaur-obsessed kid, which means I have something in common with both the Victorians and the author of this book. So, I'm quite excited for a fresh and funny deep dive into this particular strange chapter of the history of paleontology!
Genre: Nonfiction/history
Genre: Nonfiction/history
Cybil can't wait to read this book because: If you love a good page-turner and haven't discovered Jesse Q. Sutanto's work, well, you are in for a treat! This author has been all over Goodreads' most popular lists for the past few years with books including Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and Dial A for Aunties. This month, she's bringing us a heart-racing thriller about two online influencers who turn against each other.
Genre: Thriller
Genre: Thriller
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