As summer nears,readers find themselves with a trove of new books to dive into,from gripping mysteries to heartfelt romances. Independent bookstores are packed with new releases,something for every taste this month.
Among standout titles is Katherine Arden's The Unicorn Hunters (Del Rey),following a young royal from Brittany. Facing forced marriage to France's king,she secretly weds in an enchanted forest,changing her destiny.
Eric Jay Dolin brings The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail (Liveright),a gripping account of a whaling shipwreck in 1832 Pacific . It captures castaways' struggles and their encounters with Indigenous peoples.
In There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood (Flatiron Books), Rasheed Newson digs into old Hollywood's dark secrets. A former studio fixer looks into a closeted Black actor's mysterious death,uncovering fame's hidden complexities.
Emma Donoghue returns with a historical epic, focusing on a father-son duo mapping Ireland's landscape in 1860s,just after Great Hunger, in The Marriage Portrait.
Ruth Ozeki's The Typing Lady: And Other Fictions (Viking) offers stories intertwining language and everyday life,showcasing her signature narrative style.
In a modern setting, Allie Rowbottom's Lovers XXX (Soho Press) transports readers to gritty 1980s Los Angeles,where 18-year-old woman searches for her best friend,drawn into Sunset Strip's darker influences.
Lisa See examines friendship amid adversity in Daughters of the Sun and Moon (Scribner). Set in 1870s Los Angeles,three Chinese women face challenges of anti-Chinese sentiment during a time of racial violence.
Nonfiction fans will find much to ponder in Stolen Revolution: Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran (Doubleday) by Yeganeh Torbati and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin. It offers a close look at the 1979 Iranian Revolution and its lasting impact.
Sarah Valentine's Decoding the Devil: Black Women Codebreakers and the Secret War Against Stalin’s Bomb (Harper) reveals untold stories of Black women who served as codebreakers during WWII,showcasing their contributions in a segregated workforce.
For epic narrative lovers,Ashley Bennett's Tentacles & Triathlons (Berkley) offers a unique romance twist,featuring a park ranger training for a triathlon and kraken helping him improve swimming skills.
Mary HK Choi's Pool House (Flatiron Books) tells story of mother and daughter facing financial struggles,forcing them to share pool house while navigating emotional and career challenges.
In essays, Zinzi Clemmons' Freedom: Essays (Viking) presents a thought-provoking mix of memoir,reporting,and criticism exploring various interpretations of freedom.
Laverne Cox,a trailblazer,shares her journey in Transcendent (Gallery Books),reflecting on her traumatic upbringing and Hollywood success.
Gail Godwin's The Art of Becoming a Citizen: A Memoir (Bloomsbury) examines meaning of citizenship through personal reflections,connecting past upheavals to today's challenges.
Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris team up on The Book of Birds: A Field Guide to Wonder and Loss (Norton),blending stunning visuals with lyrical prose about natural world.
De’Shawn Charles Winslow's The Fervent Whites (One World) is set in 1982,following a couple released from prison after a small-town homicide conviction,exploring their community reintegration.
Amena Brown offers humor and emotion in Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl: Essays (Tiny Reparations),sharing stories from her Southern upbringing.
Finally, Philip Norman's Mr. Moonlight: Brian Epstein and the Making of the Beatles (Da Capo) provides fresh insight into the band's iconic manager,whose influence shaped their rise to fame.
This month’s literary lineup promises to engage and inspire. What catches your eye…?
