I don’t know about you, but after three months of this pandemic, I’ve gotten pretty good at self-isolation – largely thanks to my endless TBR pile! If you’re looking for some good summer reads to get you through the heat waves, look no further. After sifting through all the upcoming releases, here are 33 of the books I’m most excited for in Summer 2020.
Megan Miranda – The Girl From Widow Hills
Megan Miranda has published several books in the past few years that have all gone on my to-buy list. The latest addition to this growing list is her new book, The Girl from Widow Hills, and it looks like the best one yet. It starts with Arden, a young girl who was sleepwalking when she went missing as a child. When she was found alive a few days later, it was considered a miracle, and it led to years of fame. Arden eventually changed her name to Olivia to escape it all. But now, 20 years after she was found, Olivia is sleepwalking again when she discovers the corpse of someone she once knew. Wow, this looks twisty and nightmarish! It’ll make for a great summer read to kick off the season.
Due out: June 23
Stephanie Scott – What’s Left of Me is Yours
This debut has been on my radar for months now, and I can’t wait to finally read it. Stephanie Scott’s What’s Left of Me is Yours takes readers to Tokyo, where a man named Satō wants out of his marriage. He hires Kaitarō to have an affair with his wife Rina, hoping to make divorce easy. But Kaitarō and Rina fall in love, and a domino effect of events will eventually lead to Rina’s murder. Much of the story is told from Rina’s daughter Sumiko as she searches for the truth of her mother’s life and death. This novel looks shocking, heavy, and thought-provoking, and it’s sure to capture a lot of attention this summer.
Due out: June 23
Elle Cosimano – Seasons of the Storm
I stumbled across this YA book recently, and it instantly intrigued me. The first of a new series, Seasons of the Storm opens up a world in which each of the seasons must kill its predecessor. Summer kills spring, autumn kills summer, and so on. But against all odds, Jack (a winter) falls in love with Fleur (a spring). If they’re to stay together, they’ll have to break the cycle. That won’t be easy, though, because their creator is determined to keep things as they’ve always been. Elle Cosimano’s new book sounds imaginative and surprising, and if you enjoy this, look out for its sequel in 2021.
Due out: June 23
Silvia Moreno-Garcia – Mexican Gothic
Last year I truly enjoyed Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s incredible novel, Gods of Jade and Shadow, and now I’m determined to read the rest of her books. She has two coming in 2020. Untamed Shore is already out, and coming June 30th, I’ll be getting Mexican Gothic. The upcoming novel takes us to an isolated mansion – High Place – in the countryside of 1950s Mexico. Noemí, a glamorous debutante, has been summoned there by her cousin, who recently married the Englishman whose family owns High Place. The mansion is full of mystery and dark family secrets, and it fills its occupants’ heads with violent dreams. By the time Noemí understands its true danger, she may be unable to leave. If you ask me, Mexican Gothic can’t come out soon enough!
Due out: June 30
Riley Sager – Home Before Dark
I read – and loved – Riley Sager’s 2019 book, Lock Every Door. So much that I immediately bought his first two books, too. His fourth novel, Home Before Dark, drops at the beginning of summer, and it’s high on my list. (Actually, I already got it from Book of the Month, so I’ll be reading it very soon!) Maggie Holt returns to the Victorian estate made famous by her father’s bestselling horror memoir. She was very young when her family spent three terrifying weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night. Maggie may have lived it, but she sides with the memoir’s skeptics; she doesn’t believe in ghosts. Upon inheriting Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she works to renovate the house… and starts to experience the same disturbances her father had described. Maybe he was right. Home Before Dark will be a big thriller this summer, and I’ll be first in line to read it!
Due out: June 30
Beatriz Williams – Her Last Flight
Beatriz Williams publishes a lot of books – multiple each year – and I may just want all of them. My first pick from her was her 2019 novel The Golden Hour, which I just read a few weeks ago. Immediately after, I was lucky to dive into her newest release, Her Last Flight. I won an advanced readers edition of the book from Goodreads, and let me say, it is excellent! It follows two closely-connected timelines, both centered on a woman named Irene. In 1928, she met pilot Sam Mallory, and as he taught her to fly and they came to work together, Irene rose to fame. But it all came crashing down, ending in Sam’s death and Irene’s turn to seclusion. In 1947, photojournalist Janey has tracked her down and is eager for the full scoop so she can write a book. Her Last Flight is an emotional and captivating story of women who carved new paths, and it’s a great read.
Due out: June 30
Kevin Kwan – Sex and Vanity
I adored Kevin Kwan’s full Crazy Rich Asians trilogy – and the 2018 movie adaptation of the first book. Kevin Kwan is finally back with a new novel this summer, Sex and Vanity. Lucie Churchill, the daughter of an American-born Chinese woman and a caucasian man, first meets the gallant George Zao while vacationing on the island of Capri. She denies her attraction to him, just like she denies the Asian side of her. Years later, Lucie is in East Hampton with her new fiancé when George reappears in her life. Lucie is once again drawn to him, and what follows is a web of deceit ensnaring everyone around her. Get ready for another decadent and comedic romance that’ll brighten up this summer. For now, enjoy this exclusive excerpt.
Due out: June 30
Gabriella Burnham – It is Wood, It is Stone
The debut novel from Brazilian-American author Gabriella Burnham, It is Wood, It is Stone looks like a deep dive into the interior lives of three very different women. The anxious, restless American Linda and her husband Dennis have just moved São Paulo, Brazil for a year-long professorship. Linda feels adrift, but she finds companionship in her maid, Marta, and a charismatic artist named Celia. How will these women’s lives intersect and impact each other? Described as being “about women whose romantic and subversive entanglements reflect on class and colorism, sexuality, and complex, divisive histories,” this novel looks profound and relevant.
Due out: June 30
Alex North – The Shadows
Following Alex North’s 2019 hit The Whisper Man – which I recently read and LOVED – his next novel, The Shadows, is sure to be just as impactful. When Paul Adams was a teenager, one of his friends – Charlie Crabtree – killed his other friend. Charlie was never seen again, leaving behind infamy and several sinister copycats. Paul spent years putting his life back together, but now he must return to his hometown when his mom takes a turn for the worst. During his stay, another copycat emerges, leaving Paul more afraid than ever. The Shadows is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! If you, like me, are impatient for a preview, read a short excerpt of the book here.
Due out: July 7
Jasper DeWitt – The Patient
I’m a big fan of horror and thrillers, and am especially drawn to supernatural themes (ghosts in particular) and anything set in mental asylums. So Jasper DeWitt’s new debut, The Patient, has definitely caught my attention! It follows Parker, a confident young psychiatrist with a new job at a mental asylum. He learns of an extremely difficult and dangerous case – a man who’s been there since he was six – and decides to find a cure for him. This book has been compared to 2019’s The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, and it reminds me of another 2019 publication, The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell. I loved both of those novels, so I’m confident The Patient will be an excellent addition to my collection.
Due out: July 7
Alexis Hall – Boyfriend Material
On first glance, Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material made me think of Red, White & Royal Blue (which is currently on my bookshelf, waiting to be read). Indeed, both books are romances between two young men, at least one of whom is British and at least one of whom has a famous parent. Here, the story starts with Luc, the son of famous rock stars. After some troubled years, his dad is making a comeback and working to improve his image, and he needs Luc’s help. To clean up his own image, Luc needs a good boyfriend, a guy who never gets into any trouble. So he hires bartender Oliver to be his perfect fake boyfriend. They start off with almost nothing in common, but soon enough the fake dating starts to feel real. This book looks cute and like the perfect light summer romance.
Due out: July 7
R. L. Maizes – Other People’s Pets
The plot for this one is a little different: In Other People’s Pets, La La was abandoned by her mother and left to live with her father. But he makes a living of robbing people, and La La becomes his accomplice. Years later, she’s in school to become a veterinarian when her dad gets caught. To cover his fees, La La will have to make money as she always has: by robbing people’s houses. But she chooses only homes with pets that she can heal… which puzzles police on the hunt for this unusual thief. I’m not sure what to think about all this, but I love animals and anything to help animals, so this plot has me intrigued.
Due out: July 14
Eve Chase – The Daughters of Foxcote Manor
Two years ago I read Eve Chase’s debut novel Black Rabbit Hall. It was beautiful and mysterious, and it made me excited to read more from the author. This summer, Eve Chase will release The Daughters of Foxcote Manor, and it looks just as stunning. It starts in 1970, when a family with a troubled backstory relocates to Foxcote Manor to recuperate. But they find a baby girl abandoned by their gate and things start to unravel. Soon, someone is dead. 40 years later, Sylvie has just decided to leave her philandering husband. But just as she’s ready to start anew, her teenaged daughter starts digging into her long-buried past at Foxcote Manor. This story looks intricate and surreptitious, and it gives off perfect summer read vibes.
Due out: July 21
Emma Donoghue – The Pull of the Stars
I truly loved Emma Donoghue’s novel The Wonder, and am planning to read through her other books soon. Perhaps I’ll start with her new novel, The Pull of the Stars, out July 21st. Its plot will hit close to home for pretty much all of us: It’s actually about the Spanish Flu of 1918. Coincidentally, Emma actually finished this book before COVID-19 hit, so it’s just luck that it’s coming at such a relevant time. The novel is set in Ireland, and follows Nurse Julia Power, Doctor Kathleen Lynn, and volunteer Bridie Sweeney, all working at an understaffed Dublin hospital. They work to save patients in the midst of a pandemic, but also impact each other in other ways. This sounds like an important read right about now, and I’ll be seeking it out as soon as it’s published.
Due out: July 21
Alexis Henderson – The Year of the Witching
At some point in the last couple of years, I started really being drawn to novels about witches. (It was probably thanks to Hester Fox’s The Witch of Willow Hall.) Continuing this newfound interest, I’m really excited for the new YA novel, The Year of the Witching, a debut from Alexis Henderson. It combines fantasy with horror when Immanuelle find her dead mother’s diary in the forbidden Darkwood outside her home of Bethel. She’s shocked that her mom may have been a witch, but soon Immanuelle learns that the Church she’s been raised with may actually be even more dangerous. Bethel needs to change, and it must start with her. This book looks thrilling and dark – perfect for nights by the campfire!
Due out: July 21
Erin Hahn – More Than Maybe
I love a good story about music, and this new romance novel from Erin Hahn looks like it’s right up my alley. More Than Maybe highlights two music-obsessed teens. Luke is the shy son of a famous punk rocker, and he secretly writes songs and hosts a podcast. He has a crush on Vada, a music blogger with a strict 5-year plan. Even if she secretly likes Luke too, he doesn’t fit that plan. I can already say I identify with Vada; I’m a music blogger myself (check out my site Hidden Jams!) and had big dreams involving Rolling Stone, too. And I also know that love can infiltrate even the tightest of plans. I really can’t wait to read More Than Maybe once it’s out!
Due out: July 21
Kim Johnson – This is My America
Kim Johnson’s This is My America has been on my list for months, and its plot looks all the more relevant given the events of the past few weeks. This YA novel tackles racism head on. Tracey is only 17, but she’s trying to save her father from death row, sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit. He has only 267 days left when Tracey’s brother Jamal is accused of murdering a white girl. Like his father, he’s innocent, and he’s on the run. Tracey is on a mission to save both men, but it may mean uncovering long-buried skeletons of her racist Texas town’s past. This is a book that looks profound and vitally important, so be sure to add it to your reading list.
Due out: July 28
Shari Lapena – The End of Her
All of Shari Lapena’s books have caught my attention, and I’ll be diving in really soon. Just in time, because her new thriller, The End of Her, is out on July 28th. Stephanie and Patrick are happy new parents to twin girls when a woman from Patrick’s past starts raising questions. His previous wife died in a car accident… or did she? Though Stephanie believes Patrick at first, it all starts to unravel. She isn’t sure what to think, but she knows she must keep her babies safe. This book looks twisty, full of suspense, and ready to chill you no matter how hot it is outside.
Due out: July 28
Diana Giovinazzo – The Woman in Red
This debut from Diana Giovinazzo shines a light on two famous historical figures: Anita Garibaldi and Giuseppe Garibaldi. After being forced into an unhappy marriage, Anita – a Brazilian girl – meets Giuseppe, an Italian man leading the Brazilian resistance. The two begin a love affair, but they also fight together to liberate Brazil from Portugal. After revolution in Brazil and Uruguay, the couple travels to Italy for another fight for freedom. I admit, I know nothing of these historical figures, but The Woman in Red sounds like an illuminating, expansive, and dazzling novel. I can’t wait to read it.
Due out: August 4
Akwaike Emezi – The Death of Vivek Oji
Akwaeke Emezi’s sophomore adult novel, The Death of Vivek Oji takes readers to southeastern Nigeria. A mother opens her door to find her son, wrapped up in cloth, dead at her feet. This launches us into a profound and complex story of a boy and his two very different parents who never really knew him. Vivek suffers disorienting blackouts, and as he grows to adulthood, he finds a group he connects with, developing a deep bond with Osita. Then an act of violence changes everything. This book is about loss, and it’ll certainly be a heavy read. But it also looks important, like a book that will stay with you long after it’s over.
Due out: August 4
Romina Garber – Lobizona
Romina Garber’s new book might be labeled as fantasy, but it’s rooted in issues that are very real in today’s world. It follows Manuela Azul, an undocumented immigrant living in Miami, who’s on the run from her late father’s Argentine crime-family. When her mom is arrested by ICE and she’s suddenly without a home, Manu ends up uncovering a secret world buried within our own. It’s “a world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf.” Apparently, it’s not just Manu’s US residency that’s illegal… it’s her entire existence. Lobizona kicks off a new series that I’m super excited to read.
Due out: August 4
Lindsay Jayne Ashford – The House at Mermaid’s Cove
I recently got Lindsay Jayne Ashford’s 2019 novel The Snow Gypsy, which I’ll be reading really soon. Now I have another novel to get excited about: The House at Mermaid’s Cove. As WWII rages on, a young woman named Alice washes ashore on a beach in Cornwall, England. She keeps her true identity hidden, but asks her rescuer – Viscount Jack Trewella – to keep a secret. But he has secrets of his own, with hints related to mermaids. They form a bond, and Alice tries to make a new life for herself, but they may need to face the past before they can have a real future. This book will certainly make for a dreamy escape on lazy summer days.
Due out: August 11
Matthew Salesses – Disappear Doppelgänger Disappear
Disappear Doppelgänger Disappear opens with Matt Kim, a man who’s lost everything – his wife and daughter, his adoptive family, even his cat. He passes out regularly and thinks he may be disappearing. His girlfriend Yumi disagrees, until she meets her lookalike, who happens to have dated a man who looks just like Matt. Weird, right?! But Matt’s doppelgänger was better in every way… until he vanished one day. Matt doesn’t know how he’ll survive if his superior lookalike couldn’t. Set in our troubled times and playing at Asian American stereotypes, this book looks refreshing, deep, and thoroughly unique.
Due out: August 11
Bolu Babalola – Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold
I haven’t read many short story collections, but Bolu Babalola’s forthcoming anthology sounds like exactly what the world needs right now. Love in Colour is a collection of myths from all over the world – from Greece to Nigeria to South Asia – all told anew. This anthology is described as “a step towards decolonising tropes of love, and celebrates in the wildly beautiful and astonishingly diverse tales of romance and desire that already exist in so many cultures and communities.” Yes please! Look for this book on August 20th.
Due out: August 20
Susan Abulhawa – Against the Loveless World
Susan Abulhawa’s latest novel stars Nahr, a woman born to refugees who later becomes a refugee herself when the US invades Iraq. From Kuwait to Jordan, she eventually finds love and a home in Palestine. Over time, she becomes radicalized, ending up in a prison’s solitary confinement unit in a country she hardly knows. This sweeping novels takes readers around the Middle East, shining a light on social and political strife in the area and refugees searching for peace and belonging. Against the Loveless World sounds like an incredible novel – and its cover looks dreamy and magical – and I expect it will get a lot of attention this summer.
Due out: August 25
Daisy Johnson – Sisters
I’ve always been close to my younger sister, and lately anything about sisters instantly catches my eye. In Daisy Johnson’s new novel, we follow two girls born just 10 months apart. July and September and inseparable, and after a case of school bullying, they move to long-abandoned family home with their single mother. But the relocation brings a sense of unease and dread, and the sisters start to act out and grow apart. Eventually, readers get shocking revelations about the girls’ past and future. This novel definitely looks dark and weird, and though I’m still not entirely sure what to expect, I am intrigued.
Due out: August 25
Janella Angeles – Where Dreams Descend
The first in a new YA fantasy duology, Where Dreams Descend takes us to an icy and ruinous city. A group of magicians face off with a game of magical feats, designed to choose the next headliner for the Conquering Circus. But their acts are increasingly risky, and more magicians keep going missing. Now the Star, the Master, and the Magician must reckon with their secrets before they’re the next victims. This is just the first in a new series, with the sequel due out next year. Where Dreams Descend sounds magical and dark – two things I love. Look for it on August 25th.
Due out: August 25
Evie Dunmore – A Rogue of One’s Own (A League of Extraordinary Women #2)
I adored Evie Dunmore’s 2019 book, Bringing Down the Duke, the first in her League of Extraordinary Women series. One of its characters, Lady Lucie, takes the lead role in the second book of the series, A Rogue of One’s Own. Lucie is once again working towards feminist causes (circa 1880), and she’s angry when her old nemesis, Lord Tristan Ballentine, stands in the way of an important success. We watch their battle of wills and words, but an undeniable attraction between them complicates matters. If you like historical romance with a healthy dose of feminism, you’ll need to read A Rogue of One’s Own (and its 2019 predecessor, Bringing Down the Duke)!
Due out: September 1
Aiden Thomas – Cemetery Boys
Yadriel is from a traditional Latinx family, and they’re having a hard time accepting his gender. In an effort to prove himself a true brujo, he and his cousin Maritza perform a ritual to set the ghost of his murdered cousin free. But… he accidentally summons the wrong ghost: resident bad boy Julian. But Julian wants to tie up some loose ends before passing into death, and Yadriel has no choice but to help him. And then I’m pretty sure they fall in love… at least I hope so! Cemetery Boys is the debut from #ownvoices author Aiden Thomas, and I can’t wait to read it!
Due out: September 1
Fredrik Backman – Anxious People
I admit, I haven’t yet read any of Fredrik Backman’s books. But I loved the film adaptation of A Man Called Ove, and because of that I’ve been keeping tabs on what the author’s up to. His newest book, Anxious People, comes out in English this September. It starts when a bank robber on the run locks himself in an apartment with an enthusiastic real estate agent, a bitter couple, a pregnant woman, a suicidal multi-millionaire, and a rabbit. He lets everyone go, but by the time the police get in, the apartment is empty. We then get a mystery of the robber’s escape, and the people’s dysfunctional testimonies may not be that helpful. This book sounds weird and unusual and I’m here for it.
Due out: September 8
Ruth Ware – One By One
One of my favorite thriller authors is Ruth Ware. I’ve read and loved all of her first five books, from In a Dark, Dark Wood through The Turn of the Key, and I can’t wait for her upcoming sixth novel! One By One takes us to a ski chalet in France, where a team of app developers retreat to fine-tune their music app. But then they get snowed in, and things start to get scary. One of them goes missing, then one of them is found dead in their room. Ruth Ware is excellent at claustrophobic murder mysteries, and this looks like another great one. I’ll be reading it as soon as it’s out!
Due out: September 8
Hester Fox – The Orphan of Cemetery Hill
Early in 2019 I read Hester Fox’s debut novel, The Witch of Willow Hall. I loved it and eagerly anticipated her second book, The Widow of Pale Harbor. Now I’m counting down the days to her next gothic mystery, The Orphan of Cemetery Hill, out at the end of this summer. It’s 1844, and Tabby has a peculiar gift: she can communicate with the recently departed. As an orphaned child, her aunt only wanted to exploit her for it, so Tabby and her sister Alice ran away. Now grown up and alone, Tabby works in a Boston cemetery and is soon entangled in a deadly plot by grave robbers known as the Resurrection Men. Her gift will save or destroy both the cemetery and her. Spooky and great for a transition into autumn!
Due out: September 15
Susanna Clarke – Piranesi
Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi wasn’t on my radar until Erin Morgenstern highlighted it on her Instagram in early May. It’s also been compared to Madeline Miller’s Circe, which I loved. Even after reading the summary, I can’t say I have a firm grasp on what this book is about. Alternate realities, a strangely infinite home, a couple of mysterious characters… Early readers have described it as extraordinarily strange, dreamlike, and surreal, and say it’s best to go in blind. Whatever Piranesi is, it sounds enchanting and I look forward to reading it.
Due out: September 15
Enjoy these hot summer releases! If you’re looking for new books that are already out, check out my list of most intriguing books released this winter and all the best books released this spring.
Amanda's Book Corner 