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Make space on your bookshelf for the most hyped new books coming out this July.
As the turbulence of 2020 continues to ebb and flow, the upcoming Fourth of July long weekend presents an excellent chance to unwind, participate in some self-care, and dive into a good escapist book.
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If you’ve already fired up the grill and found a shady spot to sit outside but still don’t have your next read lined up, don’t fear: We’re teaming up with the literary experts atGoodreads to bring you each month’s most anticipated books of the year.
Goodreads previously told us it is seeing readers dive into two genres in particular right now: beach reads and horror. For your monthly dose of chills and adrenaline, there are new releases like “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones, “The Shadows” by Alex North and “Axiom’s End” by Lindsay Ellis.
But if thrillers aren’t your thing, there are also several notable books coming out this month that have nothing to do with horror, including “Utopia Avenue,” the long-awaited new novel from David Mitchell, bestselling author of “Cloud Atlas” and “The Bone Clocks.”
Those looking for a thought-provoking read might enjoy Lacy Crawford’s memoir “Notes on a Silencing,” while readers who want something more lighthearted and fun might prefer “One to Watch”by Kate Stayman-London.
In a beautifully written memoir, Lucy Crawford revisits her own assault when the elite St. Paul school — which she attended decades ago — comes under state investigation for sexual abuse on campus. Crawford discovers evidence of institutional silencing and shadowy powers trying to cover up her own case to this day. Crawford’s memoir is described as an “arresting coming-of-age story that wrestles with an essential question for our time: what telling of a survivor's story will finally force a remedy?” Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 7
2
“One to Watch” by Kate Stayman-London
Amazon
“One to Watch” is the perfect pick for fans stuck between seasons of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." Bea is a stylish plus-size fashion blogger whose life couldn’t be any better — except for her broken heart, that is. When she gets an unexpected call from "Main Squeeze" (similar to "The Bachelorette"), Bea decides to accept the offer to help her career. But she has one condition: She will not fall in love. When the cameras start rolling, however, Bea begins to realize that love might be a little more complicated than she thinks. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 7
3
“The Shadows” by Alex North
Amazon
Twenty-five years ago, Paul Adams’ friend was ritualistically murdered by Charlie Crabtree — another friend — who then disappears. While the ensuing decades made the horrific murder famous, Paul slowly pulled his life back together. But when Paul is forced to finally return home to care for his mother so many years later, things start to go wrong. A copycat strikes. Someone is following him. And his mother insists someone is in the house. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 7
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4
“The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones
Amazon
"'The Only Good Indians' follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.” Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 14
5
“Utopia Avenue” by David Mitchell
Amazon
“Cloud Atlas” author David Mitchell is back with a tale of “drugs, thugs, madness, love, sex, death, art” and, above all, the power of music. Mitchell’s latest tale tells the story of “the strangest British band you’ve never heard of,” Utopia Avenue, during its brief but blazing journey through the 1960s. In a note fitting of our own times, “Utopia Avenue” asks: “Can we change the world in turbulent times, or does the world change us?” Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 14
6
“Peace Talks” by Jim Butcher
Amazon
The 16th novel (yep, that's right) in the Dresden Files series picks up as the Supernatural nations of the world are preparing to meet to end ongoing hostilities. Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, joins the White Council's security team to make sure the talks stay civil; however, darkness is always lurking around the corner. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 16
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7
“Axiom’s End” by Lindsay Ellis
Amazon
At first, Cora Sabino didn’t care if her whistleblower father’s latest leak to the press was a hoax. When she finally learns how deeply entrenched her family is in the cover-up of an extraterrestrial presence that’s been on Earth for decades, however, things change. Cora decides to do some digging and finds herself as the first and only human vessel of communication for the alien presence -- a connection that threatens to release a force more sinister than anything she ever imagined. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 21
8
"The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel
Amazon
Fans of “The Winemaker’s Wife” may enjoy Kristin Harmel’s latest tale of historical fiction, “The Book of Lost Names.” When Eva Traube Abrams is a graduate student in Paris in 1942, her Polish Jewish father is arrested and she’s forced to flee to a small mountain town in the Free Zone. There, Eva forges identity documents for Jewish children trying to escape to neutral Switzerland. Eva decides to preserve the real names and identities of the children she helps in the “Book of Lost Names.” Inspired by a true story, Harmel’s novel opens 65 years later as Eva confronts her memories of the war. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 21
9
“Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell
Amazon
Step into 15th-century Britain with Maggie O’Farrell’s “Hamnet.” This deeply moving tale of historical fiction follows a young William Shakespeare and the woman he falls in love with, Agnes, as they deal with losing their son Hamnet to the bubonic plague. “Hamnet” is described as a “luminous portrait of a marriage, a shattering evocation of a family ravaged by grief and loss, and a hypnotic recreation of the story that inspired one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time.” Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
Expected release date: July 21
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10
“The Year of the Witching” by Alexis Henderson
Amazon
Immanuelle Moore’s race means she stands out in Bethel, so she does her best to keep her head down and follow the rules of her rigidly puritanical society. When she accidentally stumbles into the forbidden Darkwood, however, Immanuelle is shocked to find her dead mother’s diary -- and to learn that her mother consorted with witches. In “The Year of the Witching,” Immanuelle discovers dark truths about Bethel and discovers that change for good must start with her. Read more about it on Goodreads, and grab a copy on Amazon.
