Is there anything better than adding new releases to your summer reading list? We don’t think so! Celebrating the hottest days of the year curled up in front of the AC or sprawled out on the beach with a book in hand is the best part of this season. We’ve gathered some of the July book releases we’re most excited for to inspire your to-be-read (TBR) shelf, and boy, oh boy, are there some amazing picks in the mix!
What Makes a Good Book for Summer Reading?
With so many book titles and audiobooks to choose from month after month, it can be hard to decide on new July books for your summer reading. Our recommended new books in July all have the same important things in common: they’re light, fun, and impossible to put down.
Popular Genres for July Book Releases:
- Mystery
- Romance
- Fiction
- Fantasy
- Horror
7 New Books Coming in July to Look Out For
Consider adding these amazing July book releases to your TBR shelf this summer:
1. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Starting off the month strong with a July 2nd release date, The God of the Woods is a completely immersive, edge-of-your-seat novel that takes place at an upstate New York camp in 1975. When a camp counselor awakes to find a very important camper missing from her bunk, everything goes sideways. Liz Moore has done it again with a complex and compelling story about one mysterious family and their legacy.
This eerie fictional story is perfect for anyone looking for a quick, standalone book filled with secrets. If you loved the spooky teenage dramas written by Lois Lane or are craving chilling plot twists, this is the July book release for you.
2. Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto
Lovers of Star Wars fanfiction, listen up! Julie Soto, an author who has recently taken TikTok readers by storm, is returning with her second published novel, Not Another Love Song, out on July 16th. With heavy banter, an enemies-to-passionate-lovers trope, and witty humor, the romance of Gwen Jackson, a quiet violinist, and Xander Thorne, a rockstar notorious for his attitude, is sure to be a page-turner. The plot twist? The two characters are based on Kylo Ren and Rey.
If you’re experiencing an Ali Hazelwood hangover as you await her next release (and believe us, you’re not alone), then this is the new book in July for you. In fact, she promises that “the cello scene in this book will change your life.” Enough said, Ali!
3. The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey
Calling all lovers of hockey romance! Tessa Bailey returns on July 16th with a soon-to-be-hit romantic comedy, The Au Pair Affair, about a surly single dad, Burgess, and his quirky, live-in-nanny, Tallulah. With charismatic characters, a few heart-breaking twists and turns, and some heavily praised spicy scenes, adding this swoon-worthy love story to your shelf as a new book in July is a must.
If you’ve been looking for a steamy romance to fantasize about on your days away this summer, this is the book title for you. But be warned, you’ll likely fall in love with Tessa Bailey’s writing! Soon enough, you’ll have an entire corner of your at-home library dedicated to her dreamy romcom novels and eagerly await each new release.
4. The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Although you have to wait until the end of the month for this new July book, come the 30th, you’ll be happy you did! When Phoebe Stone, newly single and hitting rock bottom, arrives at an Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, she finds herself right in the middle of a stranger’s wedding festivities and, more curiously, confiding in the bride herself. Discover the power of a chance meeting and explore these lovingly imperfect characters as they make life-altering decisions in the immersive novel, The Wedding People.
The scenic beach setting and wedding descriptions make this dreamy, nuanced tale perfect for reading as you lounge by the pool on your summer vacation. A beautifully truthful tale about the power of new female friendship, this fiction novel by Alison Espach is one of the most eagerly awaited titles on our July book release wish list—add it to yours, too!
5. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
There’s nothing better than escaping into a cottagecore fantasy filled with romance and mythical creatures in the summer. The Spellshop, coming July 9th, spins a simple tale turned into a revolution epic when Kiela is forced to flee to a remote island with her assistant/sentient spider plant, Caz, and come up with a way to support herself. But when she meets a nosy and handsome neighbor, life becomes a little more complicated—and a lot more enchanting.
This new July book is sure to be a hit amongst any fans of cozy fantasy. What better July book release to enjoy sprawled out on a picnic blanket as you’re caressed by a nice summer breeze?
6. I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
Picture this: it’s 1989 in a small West Texas town where everyone knows everything about everyone. Follow Tolly Driver, a 17-year-old who just can’t fit in, in a thrilling fictional autobiography as he becomes a blood-curdling serial killer in front of your very eyes. No one’s doing slasher horror books quite like Jones—see for yourself and snatch up this July book release on the 16th!
If you’re a fan of those classic slasher films and Riley Sager novels, you’re going to love this new July book. Plan to read I Was a Teenage Slasher in one sitting—it’s just that good!
7. The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
Described as hauntingly beautiful and filled with political turmoil, The Lion Women of Tehran is a must-read story about friendship, love, and courage. Kamali has done it again in this July 2nd release, telling a powerful coming-of-age story of Ellie and Homa’s friendship over three decades in the tense times of 1950s to 1980s Iran.
If you adore stories of deeply nuanced relationships and the powers and pains of growing up together, this heart-wrenching new book is a July must-read.
Why Should You Preorder a Book?
Preordering a new July book ensures you’ll get a copy ASAP, alerts booksellers of the popularity of the title, and helps indicate the novel’s success. So, even though a few of these July book releases aren’t coming out until the end of the month, you should add them to your cart ASAP!
Where to Get These July Book Releases
While we don’t have our shop ready quite yet, you can enjoy these July book releases through:
- Purchasing books through Bookshop.org - a percentage goes to Novel
- Buying audiobooks through Libro.fm - a percentage goes to Novel
- Borrowing from the library
From chilling mysteries to hot-and-heavy romance and everything in between, we can’t wait to speed through these new July books as soon as they come out. Add the one that caught your eye to your shelf and get to reading!
