I love reading and I work in a bookstore, so I am always keeping up with what interesting books are being released. This time I want to focus on books that have yet to be published; there are so many exciting books coming later on this year and I want to get them on everyone’s radar.
- The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
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This book sounds like all of my dark-academia dreams rolled into 320 pages. Coming out in June of this year, The Maidens follows a female student at Cambridge University who is determined to prove that her universally loved Greek Tragedy professor is a murderer. There’s some secret club/cult stuff suggested as well. Michaelides’ debut, The Silent Patient, was very well received, so I am very much looking forward to his second novel.
- Animal by Lisa Taddeo
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Author of Three Women, Lisa Taddeo’s newest novel also comes out in June. Our main character, Joan, has become used to a life where the everyday violence of men no longer phases her, until a man commits a horrifying act in front of her. This causes Joan to leave New York City for Los Angeles, in search of the one person who can help her connect her past with her present.
- All’s Well by Mona Awad
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I’ve already mentioned one of Mona Awad’s books, Bunny, in an article before, and I absolutely loved it. When I found out she was publishing a new novel in August with connections not only to Shakespeare and the theater, but also to Macbeth in particular, I was drawn in hook, line, and sinker. Miranda’s life is a nightmare of loneliness and chronic pain after an accident, and she’s about to lose her directing job if she doesn’t put on a good play. She wants to do All’s Well That Ends Well, but her cast is determined to put on Macbeth, and hijinks ensue. I am very, very excited for this release.
- The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid
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Spoiler alert: like the books before them, I own an advance copy of this book and it is amazing. I am not finished yet, but I am almost sure it will be a new favorite. This book is set in a fantasy world inspired both by Jewish mythology and Hungarian history. So far, it really reminds me of Katharine Arden’s Winternight trilogy, which is one of my favorite series of all time. I went into this book without knowing much else and I think it’s better that way, but if you like opposing religions, magic, and enemies to lovers, pick this book up when it comes out in June.
- The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
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The last book on this list, and the only one I don’t have an advance copy of, The Death of Jane Lawrence comes out in October. Gothic with a capital “G,” this book was pitched as a mix of Shirley Jackson, Rebecca, and the brilliant Guillermo del Toro movie Crimson Peak. Needless to say, I was already sold, and by the description of the story itself, it sounds super spooky, full of romance (both the love kind and the dramatic capital “R” kind) and intrigue, and, of course, a crumbling mansion. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one, whether that is before or after its formal release.
Just a little disclaimer, I was able to get advance reader copies of all of these books because of my job. You cannot sell advance reader copies, and I have not been contacted for a review of any of these. I hope these upcoming novels are new on your radar, and I also hope that you’ll consider adding one or a few of them to your shelves. Happy reading!
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