August New Releases We're Excited For!
August has arrived on a hot summer breeze! Stay cool with these great new releases we're very excited for--picked by our book buyers, Llalan and Jordan!
Here are our Fiction and Nonfiction New Releases!
Bellies by Nicola Dinan
This novel is a queer love story that begins as boy meets boy, and continues with the couple’s struggles and successes as one character transitions. Exploring loneliness, identity, and family this book promises to be sweet, tender, heartbreaking, and wryly funny. I love the premise of learning how to love someone even as they change before you.
Out August 1!
Anansi's Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World by Yepoka Yeebo
Named after the trickster god, Anansi, this book follows the sordid, true, tale of a Ghanaian man who scammed hundreds of millions of dollars from followers. The story is entangled in the Cold War, international finance, and postcolonial betrayal. Expect a rewriting of history as you know it. Who will we root for, is my big question!
Out August 1!
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
I adored McBride’s Deacon King Kong, so I’m expecting something great in this novel, as well. Both are written about folks who live on the outskirts of white, Christian, monied society and both tell tales of love and community. McBride loves his characters dearly, and the reader can tell.
Out August 8!
Congratulations, the Best Is Over!: Essays by R. Eric Thomas
Thomas returns to his hometown of Baltimore, somewhere he hoped to never see again, and we benefit. Humorous, insightful essays that dig into the messiness that is leaving something behind but coming home. I know it will ring familiar for me, personally, and I look forward to getting his perspective.
Out August 8!
Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck
It’s not a spoiler to tell you that in this debut novel, a man turns into a shark. With a lot of heart, this book explores caretaking, devotion, loss, and most of all, love. I’m looking forward to this wildly original tale, though I may read it with a box of tissues nearby.
Out August 8!
A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll
I love a good graphic novel and, occasionally, I like to be scared. Therefore, I’m already a fan of this book about a woman who is haunted (literally or figuratively?) by the memory of her husband’s late first wife. Bonus, the art looks amazing.
Out August 15!
Live to See the Day: Coming of Age in American Poverty by Nikhil Goyal
For years, Goyal follows three children growing up in the poorest neighborhood of the US’s poorest large city through hunger, homelessness, and incarceration. I am certain this book will enlighten, frustrate, and challenge me in the best possible way, but watch out for me because I’ll probably be mad.
Out August 22!
The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann, translated by Amy Bojang
I can’t resist a good cozy mystery, especially one that features a madcap ensemble crew of sleuthing seniors. They remind me of my grandmother, who introduced me to Agatha Christie. I expect this to be dark and twisty and as funny as detectives with dentures can be.
Out August 29!
Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words by Jenni Nuttal
Have you ever wondered about the connection of the words hysterectomy and hysterical? This is a historical investigation of the language of women told through research and memoir. With a feminist eye, Nuttall examines the past to learn how to move forward.
Out August 29!
Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto
You already know how much I love short stories, and here is a collection I’m really pumped about. These stories are all about Japanese and Hawaiian women dealing with ghosts, portentous pigs, living manuscripts and even more myths and lore. What else could you want?
Out August 29!
Here are our Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Children's New Releases!
Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones
It's said to be a mix of Sailor Moon and Cinder, that’s all I need to know as a big fan of Sailor Moon. I will for sure be checking this one out.
Out August 1!
I Will Read to You by Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Charles Santoso
A mix of sweet and spooky--perfect for all the little monster lovers in your life.
Out August 1!
Kariba by Daniel Clarke, James Clarke, and Daniel Snaddon
It's about a daughter of a river god, inspired by African mythology. This one is sure to be a good read!
Out August 1!
Tacos Falls Apart by Brenda S. Miles, illustrated by Monika Filipina
I am a sucker for children’s books where the main characters are food and this one is no exception.
Out August 1!
The Light Inside by Dan Misdea
The art on the cover looks so cute and I know the rule about not judging a book by its cover, but I can’t help it when the cover looks like this!
Out August 8!
The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan
As a fan of Final Girl stories, this is another one to add to the collection.
Out August 15!
Tessa Miyata is No Here by Julie Abe
I love books that take a new spin on mythology, so I am excited to read this one.
Out August 22!
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
Books and cats, that’s all I need to know.
Out August 29!
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea
Not sure exactly what it’s about but I am a sucker for a horror novel with a good cover.
Out August 29!
The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My most anticipated book of the year! I can’t wait to get my hands on it as I have loved everything this author has written.
Out August 29!
ABOUT THE BOOKSELLERS:
Despite spending decades on the East Coast, Llalan--our book buyer--remains a stalwart Midwesterner. And although she has an MA in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College in Boston, she prefers the life of a Bookstore Lady. Llalan loves literary fiction, nature writing, and craft beer.
Jordan, our YA, middle grade, and children's book buyer, has a fraternal twin sister. She has never been on an airplane--the farthest she has ever traveled was New Jersey by train. She is an avid K-Pop Collector and owns over 500 K-Pop albums!