Well Summer is finally here in full, friends. If you want a beach read of feminist arthurian retellings or maybe an epic queer fantasy set in alternate China? Or what about tea monks and kind robots? If you’re trying to find some new books to relax with for the summer than here are some summer reads to put on your list.
Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian
| Ace | July 6|
Lady of Shalott turns a feminist tale from this old tome of an Arthurian myth. Shifting from the purview of King Arthur, beautiful Guinevere, bitter Morgana, and loyal Lancelot and into the cursed woman, Elaine of Shalott. Set on the mystical isle of Avalon, Elaine learns of ancient and tragic prophecies, some of which may become fated possibilities.
Capture the Crown by Jennifer Estep
| Harper Voyager | July 6 |
A fantasy romance between a princess moonlighting as a spy and her enemy, a rival prince. When Gemma finds herself in enemy lines, she joins Leo in a deadly plot. Word has it there be gargoyles yonder.
The Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley
| Tor Books | July 6 |
Return to the world of the Unhewn Throne in this new epic fantasy trilogy. Elite warriors have been decimated, and to save the empire, Gwenna Sharpe must traverse through a land that poisons the living.
The Belle Époque: A Cultural History, Paris and Beyond by Dominique Kalifa
| Columbia University Press | July 6 |
The Belle Époque, the romantic zenith of French culture. Dominique Kalifa traces the imagining of this cultural myth and the real world of The Moulin Rouge.
Island Queen by Vanessa Riley
| William Morrow | July 6 |
Historical romance author Vanessa Riley takes on a historical novel inspired by the real story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free Black woman who rose from slavery and became one of the most wealthy landowners in the colonial West Indies.
A Psalm For the Wild Built by Becky Chambers
| TorDotCom | July 13 |
A story that feeds us a much-needed dose of kindness and hope. The robots of Panga gained self-awareness and wandered into the wilderness, becoming myth and legend. Then, a tea monk’s life is shaken at the arrival of a robot and his questions.
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
| Berkley | July 13 |
A group of heroines, the final girls, the ones left standing when the credits roll in horror flicks, meet with other final girls in a support group of survivors. Lynette, a final girl, survived a massacre, and she’s not alone. But when someone finds out about their group and one of the girls goes missing, they fear the worst.
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
| G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers| July 13 |
Get Out meets Holly Jackson in this YA thriller of survival. Jake Livingston can see the dead. With the arrival of another Black student at St. Clair Prep, Jake sees romance in his future. But now, the ghost of a school shooter plans to enact more vengeance.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
| Avon | July 13 |
A contemporary romance inspired by Alexis from Schitt’s Creek and a crab boat captain. Set in a small Pacific Northwest beach town, this seems like the perfect summer read.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
| Tor Books | July 20 |
A debut with a premise like Mulan meets The Son of Achilles seems like a great read. An epic set in alternate China, a village is struck with famine, and two children are faced with two very different destinies. Queer yearning and bowing princes! What’s not to get excited about.
A Radical Act of Free Magic by H.G. Parry
| Orbit/Redhook | July 20 |
An epic of history and magic, revolution and wonder. In the concluding novel, Napoléon Bonaparte has risen to power, the dead army has conquered Europe, and Britain is fighting back. A blood magician who orchestrated Robespierre’s downfall uses the French Revolutionary Wars to return to dark magic.
Hold Fast Through the Fire by K.B. Wagers
| Harper Voyager | July 27 |
Inspired by the real mission of the Coast Guard, the Near-Earth Orbital Guard patrols and protects the solar system in this space opera. Polyamorous and asexual relationships in a novel of found family.
Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas
| Avon | July 27 |
Lisa Kleypas brings another historical between a widowed lady and a Scottish whisky distiller on the run.
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