22 July Releases We're Excited About

And what you can read in the meantime

Reading ahead

Our TBR piles may already be weighing down our bedside tables, but we keep finding new books we want to add to the stack. From literary books about books to much-anticipated sequels to transporting romances, July's most anticipated list is filled with must-reads! Here are 22 upcoming releases across a mix of genres. These titles are available for preorder, but in the meantime, peruse our recommendations for similar reads that you can enjoy now.

Literary fiction

The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt (July 4)

Bob Comet is a retired librarian passing solitary days surrounded by books and small comforts in his Portland, Oregon home. When he begins volunteering at a nearby senior center, he draws a community of strange peers. A chance encounter with his past leads to a cascade of revelations about his history.

What to read first:Stoner by John Williams

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen (July 4)

When an ultra-glam chain opens across the street from their family nail salon, Vietnamese refugees Debbie and Phil Tran enlist the help of their family to wage some good old-fashioned sabotage. Relationships are put to the test in this light-hearted, urgent fable of gentrification and community resilience.

What to read first: Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González

Kala by Colin Walsh (July 6)

A gripping literary page-turner from a rising Irish talent in which former friends, estranged for twenty years, reckon with the terrifying events of the summer that changed their lives. Part heartfelt coming-of-age tale, part brutal Irish noir, this is a great read for fans of Donna Tartt and Tana French.

What to read first:The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead (July 18)

The much-celebrated author of The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys continues the hugely entertaining story of the tenacious, enterprising Ray Carney. Evoking 1970s New York City in all its glory, this is a darkly funny tale of a city under siege, but also a sly searching portrait of the meaning of family.

What to read first: Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

Somebody's Fool by Richard Russo (July 25)

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls returns to the characters that have captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of readers. This installment takes place ten years after the death of the magnetic Donald "Sully" Sullivan and the town of North Bath is going through a major transition.

What to read first: Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo

Mystery, thriller, and horror

Burn the Negative by Josh Winning (July 11)

Thirty years hiding from her past. Eight deaths still unexplained. One haunted horror film. Nowhere left to run. Journalist Laura Warren is mid-flight to L.A. when she learns that the streaming series she's about to report on is a remake of a '90s horror flick. The one she starred in and has been running from ever since.

What to read first: My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

The Block Party by Jamie Day (July 18)

The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal. On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder and as rivalries and betrayals unfold—discovering that the real danger lies amongst them and nothing is ever as it seems.

What to read first: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena (July 25)

Welcome to Stanhope. A safe neighborhood. A place for families. But when nine-year-old Avery goes missing, people start pointing fingers. As shocking secrets start rising to the surface, Avery's neighbors become increasingly unhinged. Suddenly Stanhope doesn't feel so safe.

What to read first: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Prom Mom by Laura Lippman (July 25)

Dubbed the Prom Mom after she allegedly killed her newborn at the prom, Amber has spent over twenty years hiding from her tabloid past. But now she's back in her hometown of Baltimore and reconnecting with Joe, the prom date who abandoned her on that fateful night. Another masterful slow-burn from Lippman.

What to read first: Sunburn by Laura Lippman

Sci-fi and fantasy

The Carnivale of Curiosities by Amiee Gibbs (July 11)

In Victorian London, there is no more coveted ticket than the Carnivale of Curiosities. Rumors abound that the show's proprietor, Aurelius Ashe, can make any wish come true. But when the notorious Odilon Rose threatens the troupe's most vulnerable members, Ashe is forced into an insidious contract.

What to read first: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Jasad Heir by Sasha Hashem (July 18)

Ten years after the kingdom of Jasad burned, Sylvia, the sole heir of its royal family, is in hiding. When she accidentally reveals her magic to Arin, the heir to her greatest enemy, a deadly game begins and Sylvia must choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind.

What to read first: The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong (June 20)

Inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, this novel is a fiery collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance. Five years ago, a massacre killed Princess Calla Tuoleimi's parents and left the palace of Er empty...and she was the one who did it. Now she plans to finish the job and bring the monarchy down.

What to read first: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec (July 25)

Oddny and Gunnhild meet as children in tenth century Norway, and they could not be more different. But as they grow to adulthood, strong bonds—both enchanted and emotional—hold the two women together in this deeply moving novel of magic, history, and sworn sisterhood.

What to read first: The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

Historical fiction

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay (July 4)

Downton Abbey meets Ocean's Eight in this novel about an unusual housekeeper. Born into a world of con artists and thieves, Mrs. King has made herself respectable, running the grandest home in Mayfair. But after being summarily dismissed, she recruits an eclectic group of women for revenge.

What to read first: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons (July 11)

After the death of her husband, London Gertie is considering selling their London bookshop and retiring to the seaside. But as Hitler gains power in Germany, Jewish families begin sending their children away. Gertie decides to take in one of these refugees, a headstrong teenage girl who reminds her of herself at that age.

What to read first: The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons

Queen of Exiles by Vanessa Riley (July 11)

This riveting novel is based on the life of Marie-Louise Christophe, Haiti's first and only queen. In 1820, she escaped a coup after her husband, King Henry, died by his own hand. In exile, the resilient Louise redefined her role, recovering the fortune that Henry had lost and rebuilding her life on her own terms.

What to read first: Island Queen by Vanessa Riley

The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer (July 11)

Twenty-five years after the end of the war, the daughter of a British operative begins searching for information about the shadowy agent, a woman, who saved her father's life. Her search resurrects the stories of Chloe and Fleur, the code names for two women who took enormous risks to support the allied troops.

What to read first: Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams

Romance

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon (July 4)

Chandler Cohen is disconcerted to discover that Finn, the subject of her new ghostwriting gig, is a guy with whom she recently had a spectacularly awkward hookup. When she admits to a distraught Finn that their night together wasn't as mindblowing as he thought it was, they end up striking an interesting deal.

What to read first: The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

You, With a View by Jessica Joyce (July 11)

Grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother, Noelle creates a TikTok to search for the mysterious beau from Gram's old photos. She's shocked when he turns out to be the grandfather of Theo, her high school nemesis. Now they're reuniting to recreate a road trip inspired by their grandparents' broken engagement.

What to read first: Beach Read by Emily Henry

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center (July 11)

One minute, Sadie was a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition and the next, she was lying in a hospital diagnosed with a condition termed "face blindness." Making things even more complicated, she's fallen in love (lust?) with, not one, but two very different men.

What to read first: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan (July 11)

Morag MacIntyre is a Scottish lass from the remote islands that make up the northernmost reaches of the UK. She's also a third-generation pilot running an island plane service with her grandfather. Up in the blue sky, Morag feels certain of herself. Down on the ground is a different matter, though.

What to read first: The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai (July 18)

When her best friend is accused of stealing a multimillion-dollar necklace, Simi devises an unlikely plan to clear his name. All she needs to do is transform a ragtag group of strangers into an elite heist crew, infiltrate a high-society wedding and steal the necklace from a dangerous criminal before the happy couple say "I do."

What to read first: The Fraud Squad by Kyla Zhao

Hopefully there's something here that you want to add to your TBR list! Let us know which new books you're most excited about this month.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon