12 New Books Coming This June
I’ll admit that May was a struggle when it came to reading. Between a hectic work schedule and last-minute travel plans, I barely found the time. I’ve also been learning to cook, which, if you know me, you’ll know how often I rely on takeout. So if you have any beginner cookbook recommendations, please let me know.
Back to what I read. I managed to finish a few standouts: No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner Harris (eye-opening), Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (dystopian masterpiece), and Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (need I say more?).
Now it’s June (summer, yay), and there are so many new releases that I can’t wait to crack open. These are my top 12.
The latest from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six.
Set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program, Atmosphere follows Joan Goodwin, a thoughtful and reserved trainee at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, as she competes for a chance to be one of the first women in space.
Described by Kristin Hannah as a “fast-paced, emotionally charged story,” this one lands June 3rd.
Set in the summer of 1996, this “propulsive and compulsively readable debut” (Kristen Arnett) follows best friends (and secret girlfriends) Hannah and Sam as they road-trip from Long Beach, New York to San Francisco, fleeing small-town judgment and the weight of expectations from Hannah’s devout Orthodox Jewish mother.
While chasing the chance to be a real couple, Hannah finds herself torn between doing what she wants vs. what others expect of her, ultimately forcing her to make a series of life-altering decisions.
Girls Girls Girls is an exploration of first love, queerness, survival, and faith, and will resonate with anyone who came of age in the ’90s, or anyone who’s ever fought to define themselves. On sale June 17th.
One of the best books I have read in recent years. For fans of Jonathan Franzen, Paul Murray, and Nathan Hill, The Slip is a wholly original, seriously funny, and time-spanning story set in Austin, Texas in the summer of 1998.
Readers follow a community at a local boxing gym, each reckoning with their lives in the aftermath of a young teen’s disappearance. An exploration of race, gender, law enforcement, and much more, this “hugely ambitious” (Kirkus) debut is on sale June 3rd. Don’t sleep on this one!
When I came across this book cover on Rodrigo Corral’s Instagram, I was immediately intrigued. From the award winning author of The Last Days of Roger Federer and Out of Sheer Rage, an intimate reflection on coming of age in a world still shaped by the Depression and World War II.
Praised by Tessa Hadley as “moving, atmospheric, truthful, perceptive, and hilariously funny,” Homework is on sale June 10th.
I was lucky to get a sneak peek of this one back in March, and it’s easy to see why it’s among the most hyped releases of this year.
When a queer Black Stanford grad is arrested for cocaine possession on the final day of a New York summer, his life unravels. Smith’s elite education offers some protection, but his race does not. He flees to his hometown of Atlanta, only to be met with the weight of his family’s expectations. Returning to New York, it isn’t long before Smith is drawn into the city’s underworld once again.
An exploration of race, class, and addiction, Rob Franklin’s Great Black Hope is a “timeless coming-of-age story” (Rumaan Alam). On sale June 10th.
From the national bestselling author of Girlhood comes an unconventional new memoir about the year of celibacy Melissa Febos committed to in 2016, in the aftermath of a catastrophic two-year relationship.
Since her teens, Febos had moved from one relationship to the next with men and women. In The Dry Season, she puts sex and relationships on pause, confronting past patterns and ultimately reclaiming her own pleasure.
Described by Leslie Jamison as “an utterly consuming and deeply generous book,” The Dry Season is on sale June 3rd.
From my favorite thriller writer, Lisa Jewell’s latest might just be her best yet. Opening in the aftermath of a murder, the story unfolds across multiple characters and timelines. Jewell expertly weaves together a tale of reinvention, obsession, and secrecy in the digital age.
On sale June 24th. Read my full review here.
From the bestselling and award-winning author of the Patrick Melrose series comes Parallel Lines, a story of determination, connection, and love written in St Aubyn’s trademark style, encompassing a cast of complex and layered characters.
After a breakdown lands him in inpatient treatment, Sebastian must confront his fragile grip on reality while longing to reconnect with the biological mother who abandoned him as a child. Sebastian’s therapist, Martin, is dealing with his own challenges, including his daughter’s relationship with her own biological mother.
Described by Kirkus as “St. Aubyn’s best work yet,” Parallel Lines is on sale June 3rd.
From the acclaimed author of Gay Bar comes a searching and intimate memoir about the author’s transatlantic relationship with the man he loves, set against the backdrop of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Written in a fragmented, reflective style, Deep House is a “rare and beautiful book” (Melissa Febos). It’s a timely and timeless story. On sale June 3rd. Read my full review here.
This month’s Read With Jenna Book Club pick is exactly the kind of novel I love. It’s a multigenerational family story following a young mother, her husband, and their daughter who is always caught in the middle. Spanning decades, this novel explores what happens when a long-buried family secret comes to light and changes everything.
Described by Rachel Joyce as “a beautiful and tender exploration of parental love,” A Family Matter is on sale June 3rd.
Great cover concept here. Aisling Rawle’s Big-Brother-esque debut is fit for the times we find ourselves living, an era of reality-TV obsession where many take pleasure in the downfall of others.
Rawle’s novel follows Lily, a twenty-something who wakes up on a remote desert compound alongside nineteen other contestants. Under the constant glare of cameras, she must outlast her housemates by competing in challenges for luxury perks and basic necessities.
Described by The New York Times as “an Animal Farm for our age of relentless materialism,” The Compound is on sale June 24th.
Another family saga I can’t wait to crack into. Bug Hollow is the latest from Michelle Huneven, who’s built a reputation for chronicling the struggles of middle-class Americans. She’s at her best when exploring the realities of addiction, love, and loss.
This time, Huneven turns her attention to the Samuelson clan in the aftermath of their son’s death, capturing a family racked with grief and their repeated attempts to rebuild. Named a New York Times Summer Reading Pick, Bug Hollow is on sale June 17th.
Avocado Diaries is part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.