Goodreads Editors Share Their June 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.
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.
Some of the stories on tap for June: Regency romance featuring a bawdy slang dictionary, historical fiction set in queer 1950s Hollywood, and literary sci-fi concerning extraterrestrial contact. Bonus pick: Guadalajara ghosts!
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: This debut novel about the last year of author Sylvia Plath’s life is for anyone whose paperback version of The Bell Jar is worn at the edges. Told in reverse chronology through the eyes of those on the parameters of Plath’s life—from neighbors to shopkeepers to doctors—this novel reimagines the famous poet.
Genre: Historical fiction
Genre: Historical fiction
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: Between Rasheed Newson’s debut, My Government Means to Kill Me, and this new book, I’m convinced he comes up with the best book titles in the biz. In There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood, a 1950s studio fixer whose job it is to help stars stay as deep in the closet as possible investigates the untimely death of a young Black star at the height of his fame.
Genre: Historical fiction
Genre: Historical fiction
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: While researching June’s new titles, my brain snagged on this cover. Then when I opened the book page, I was greeted with this description: “A day-in-the-life debut novel about a fading socialite on the hunt for someone to kill her before her next Soul Cycle class.” There’s nothing a bit of insane literary fiction can’t fix, am I right?
Genre: Literary fiction
Genre: Literary fiction
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: One overly binary way of dividing readers is the whole character- vs. plot-driven distinction. I’m a character reader all the way, which means I gobble up Daniel M. Lavery’s writing. In his newest work, we get Barbara, an opinionated, sixtysomething two-time divorcée in search of a new best friend after her last best friendship imploded. Oh yes, this is right up my alley.
Genre: Fiction
Genre: Fiction
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: In the YA author’s (Emergency Contact, Yolk) first adult novel, a mother and daughter navigate their relationship in the shadow of Hollywood. The mother is an out-of-work actress who falls on hard times when her lover dies, forcing her and her college-dropout daughter to move into their pool house and rent out the main residence. A funeral guest throws the two into turmoil as they navigate issues of class, grief, and fame.
Genre: Literary fiction
Genre: Literary fiction
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: I first heard about this book last year and am so excited it’s finally coming out. In 1927 Mississippi, the small Black town of East Cobb looks like a utopia: wealthy, flourishing, and untouched by white oppression. But underneath this perfection lies a dark secret: the women of the town absorb all trauma from the men. A relevant parable for our times? Hmm…
Genre: Speculative fiction/historical fiction
Genre: Speculative fiction/historical fiction
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: In this novel that has captivated UK readers, two college friends reconnect and navigate tech and finance industries from 9/11 to COVID-19. Sounds like a book for someone who wants to discuss how great AI is? NOPE. Consider this Goodreader’s review: “If you’ve ever felt stuck in a rat race, ever dared to dream big, ever wondered what really matters, ever lost your way when life was going your way: Drayton & Mackenzie is for you.”
Genre: Historical fiction
Genre: Historical fiction
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: While the title makes this book sound like it could be about enthusiastic wine varietals, it is actually about Fervent, New York, and what happens after a couple once convicted of a homicide moves back to town after they’re proven innocent. Because oh boy do they have an axe to grind, especially with the neighbor whose testimony put them behind bars in the first place.
Genre: Historical thriller
Genre: Historical thriller
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: Literary extraterrestrial contact fiction is Very Big in 2026, and here’s another prime example that shows why this trend is so intriguing. In Charlton’s debut novel, two adults confront a strange incident that happened during their childhoods as Earth starts receiving strange signals from deep in the cosmos.
Genre: Literary sci-fi
Genre: Literary sci-fi
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: In this Regency romance, an innocent wallflower arranges a marriage of convenience for herself with the town rake so that she can continue to pursue her passion of writing a dictionary of bawdy slang. Genre-savvy readers will quickly pick up on the problem inherent in this plan, namely: Oh no, my husband is too hot and there’s only one bed!
Genre: Historical romance
Genre: Historical romance
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: This sounds like fun! A budding musician (and washed-up actor) wakes up one morning to a surprise dog in his house. Obviously, this is a sign to follow his dreams and record a rap album. Meanwhile, the man’s therapist sees her husband and all of their friends start acting…strangely (harboring raccoons, etc.). Soon conspiracy theories abound in this speculative, genre-bending romp!
Genre: ???/Unhinged
Genre: ???/Unhinged
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: The titular Alan of Courtney Maum’s newest book is an ad exec who bombs the biggest pitch of his career and subsequently decides to quit the rat race entirely. Yay for disentangling ourselves from late-stage capitalism! Except this plan causes some friction with his wife, who’s moments away from buying her way into an elite women’s club. Can WASPs survive in the wild? Let’s find out!
Genre: Fiction
Genre: Fiction
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: One of my (many) strongly held opinions is that you should always have a book of essays at the ready to break any potential reading slump. This hilarious and heartwarming collection sounds simply fantastic as Brown shares her original insights on everything from growing up in the American South to The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Genre: Essays
Genre: Essays
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: I can’t get enough of books about the underbelly of magical boarding schools, so you can only imagine the noises I made when this one first crossed my radar. Briar Jones has dreamed of attending the Temple School of Thaumaturgy for their whole life, but when acceptance letters arrive, their best friend Seb receives one and they do not. Years later, Briar takes a temp job on campus, only to find that Seb is now a grade-A asshole. Do dark conspiracies abound? Is all not as it seems? Let’s find out!
Genre: Dark academia/fantasy
Genre: Dark academia/fantasy
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: In this translated historical fiction horror tale, the summer of a 1970s Guadalajara neighborhood sizzles as a young girl gets an ominous prediction from a traveling fair’s fortune teller. This slim novel is ready to throw you in a dizzying experience of family secrets, ghosts, and one mysterious boa constrictor.
Genre: Historical horror
Genre: Historical horror
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: An incumbent U.S. president running for an unconstitutional third term recruits a pro wrestler with supposed supernatural powers to help with his campaign. Not to worry: Journalist Clarence Thomas Jr. is covering this beat and will get the full story. This premise is delightfully absurd in that “If we didn’t laugh we’d have to cry" way.
Genre: Satire (but is it???)
Genre: Satire (but is it???)
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: How about Peter Pan meets Stephen King’s It set during World War I? Reading is so awesome, isn’t it?? Here, Peter Pan is a boogeyman who seems to have resurfaced from a woman’s distant memory just as children start disappearing. Early reviewers are calling this a chilling and atmospheric read that will probably ruin the Disney classic for you.
Genre: Historical horror
Genre: Historical horror
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: So, back to the magical campus/dark academia of it all, here’s a book that features an exclusive college where the descendants of fairy tale and folklore figures congregate. Throw in a complicated mother-daughter relationship, feelings of alienation, and a dual narrative filled with tension and mystery and you get some keep-you-up-past-your-bedtime reading.
Genre: Fantasy/dark academia
Genre: Fantasy/dark academia
Cybil can’t wait to read this book because: Maybe you are looking for a cozy, charming, sweet book with plenty of magic and whimsy? I got you. Here, a Land Witch and her young ward are sent to look after a sentient home that seems to be in a serious bad mood. In fact, the house has simply walked away in somewhat of a huff.
Genre: Cozy fantasy
Genre: Cozy fantasy
Sharon can’t wait to read this book because: If you’re staring down a busy summer with little reading time, there’s no antidote like a book of short stories to dip in and out of. And what a pleasure if those stories are written by a modern literary master! Early reviewers are raving about this collection from Ruth Ozeki (The Book of Form and Emptiness), which features 12 stories of characters standing at life’s various thresholds.
Genre: Short stories
Genre: Short stories

