9 Books Coming This July
Kicking off July with a quick recap of the past month. I’ll be honest, reading (again), has not been a priority lately. With friends visiting and a calendar chock-full of after-work plans, it’s been hard to find the time. That said, I still managed to finish six books in June.
Some highlights include Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins-Reid (could not put this down). I also loved the audiobook of Off Menu by Amy Rosen (the debut author behind the delicious Rosen’s Cinnamon Buns). Highly recommend this one, especially if you’re Canadian.
In a bit of a surprise twist (for me), I ended up reading more romance than anything else, including First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison and The Wedding People by Alison Espach.
As for July, here are 9 new books I’m excited about.
From the bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask comes a new small-town big-energy romance. We follow Lauren Parker, sister of movie star Gabe Parker (who you may know from Sussman’s previous book), as she navigates life as a newly widowed mom. When she meets actor Ben Walsh on the set of her brother’s movie, the chemistry is instant.
Yet between raising her daughter, working through grief, and dealing with small-town gossip, Lauren already has a lot going on. Can she find the space for something new without losing herself? Described as a “soaring, deliciously real romance” (Tia Williams), Totally and Completely Fine is on sale July 8th.
This highly-anticipated debut from London-based writer Loretta Rothschild blends family mystery with a sweeping love story. It follows Honor, a woman who seems to have it all; an intelligent daughter, a charming husband, and a picture perfect life.
Then one life-shattering event changes everything.
Spanning years, this “inventive, tender, heartbreaking, redemptive” (Jodi Picoult) novel is on sale July 8th.
Katie Yee’s debut novel is perfect for fans of Joan Is Okay and Crying in H Mart. It follows a Chinese American narrator who finds out her husband is having an affair with a woman named Maggie. Soon after, she is diagnosed with cancer. And in an unexpected twist, she names her tumour Maggie.
What follows is a darkly funny journey through grief, identity, and healing, told in a way that recalls the beloved style of Nora Ephron. Described as “one of the most unusual literary debuts” by the Washington Post, this one is high up on my list. And at under 200 pages, it’s the perfect beach read. On sale July 22nd.
Another much anticipated debut (with another gorgeous cover). Bitter Sweet comes from London-based book publicist Hattie Williams and follows (fittingly) a young book publicist who finds herself in an all-consuming, power-imbalanced affair with her literary idol.
Described as “a timeless tragedy, a story of the intricacies and illusions of true love” (Chris Whitaker), Bitter Sweet is on sale July 8th.
From the critically acclaimed author of There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven comes a genre-bending debut novel that follows two families across alternate timelines of the Salvadoran civil war.
Spanning decades, from 1978 to 2018, and moving from Havana to Cambridge, Archive of Unknown Universes melds history with sci-fi, weaving in romance and modern-day technology to explore themes of displacement, identity, and belonging. Described as “a rare, unforgettable feast of a novel” (Katie Gutierrez), this one is on sale today.
From the author of The Displacements and The Gifted School comes a “wise, propulsive, and deeply powerful” novel (Laura Dave) about a family’s reckoning in the aftermath of a devastating car crash. Each family member is hiding a secret, and each may have played a part.
Part domestic drama, part exploration of a near-future shaped by artificial intelligence, Culpability questions responsibility in a world where control is no longer entirely human.
Named a Best Book of Summer by LitHub and Harper’s Bazaar, Claire Jia’s highly-anticipated debut follows Ye Lian, a woman living in Beijing with what looks like a perfect life. She has a great job and a loving boyfriend who she plans to marry.
When her childhood best friend Wenyu returns after an enviable decade in California, they rekindle their friendship. Soon the dark side of Wenyu’s life emerges, threatening all that both women have built for themselves and forcing them to make a decision between the stability of what they know versus a frighteningly uncertain future.
“Compassionate, perceptive, and totally absorbing” (Hanna Halperin), Wanting is on sale today.
The only memoir on this list (surprising, for me). From Slate writer Aymann Ismail, a moving exploration of fatherhood, faith, and identity.
Ismail came of age in the shadow of 9/11. After bomb threats at his Islamic school in New Jersey, his parents enrolled him in public school, where he was the only Muslim kid. While they leaned deeper into their faith, Ismail found himself navigating two worlds: the deeply rooted traditions of his home life and the undeniably American culture around him.
Tracing his journey from son to husband to father, Ismail’s memoir is a powerful reflection on what it means to belong in a world that’s constantly shifting. On sale July 8th.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Anna: The Biography, a hotly anticipated and deeply researched look at one of the most influential and polarizing celebrities of our time.
Drawing on exclusive interviews with more than 220 sources, including current and former friends, colleagues, and insiders, Odell paints the fullest portrait yet of Gwyneth Paltrow. You can expect behind-the-scenes details of the star’s relationships, family, friendships, and businesses. On sale July 29th.