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Official consensus says that it’s safer to be outdoors this summer, while still avoiding crowds. So we can’t think of a better way to spend a lazy afternoon than socially distant in a park or on a beach with an outstanding book. Whether you’re an old-school traditional with your summer reading or using a tablet or e-reader, there are plenty of new books dropping in the next few months. Here are 20 summer releases we can’t wait to read.
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Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Release Date: May 5
This emotionally rich story is written in verse and follows two girls in the wake of their father’s sudden death in a plane crash. As they struggle to cope with the magnitude of their loss, they find each other.
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Release Date: May 12
A YA novel by an award-winning author following a transgender teen as he falls in love. Felix struggles with marginalization, self-discovery, and bullying.
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
Release Date: May 26
Set in the world of drag in London, the Black Flamingo is a mixed-raced gay teen, Michael, who tries to navigate his own identity and the world after coming out.
The Vanishing Half: A Novel by Brit Bennett
Release Date: June 2
A deft exploration of issues of race and family, this novel tells the story of twin sisters and their daughters; one passes for white while the other lives as a black woman in the south.
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Release Date: June 2
Liz Lighty has plans to escape her small midwestern town. Until her financial aid falls through, and the Prom Queen scholarship becomes her only hope for attending her dream college.
A Burning by Megha Majumdar
Release Date: June 2
The debut novel from Megha Majumdar covers complex themes with driving, ambitious writing, about a Muslim teen living in the slums, accused of a terrorist attack on a train. Binge-read this captivating novel in a single sitting.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
Release Date: June 2
This novel is just the first part of a fantasy duology inspired by legends of West Africa. Intrigue, romance, powerful magic, and ancient evil all intertwine in this captivating novel.
The Book of Rosy: A Mother’s Story of Separation at the Border by Rosayra Pablo Cruz and Julie Schwietert Collazo
Release Date: June 2
A true story from the Mexico/US border about a Guatemalan mother fleeing violence with her two children, their separation at the border, and the agony of the detention centers.
All the Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani
Release Date: June 9
Return to the agony and ecstasy of first love with Carli and Rex as they navigate love and basketball, family relationships, heartbreak, and destiny.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Release Date: June 30
Reminiscent of Jane Eyre, Moreno-Garcia sets this classic gothic horror in the 1950s in Mexico. It follows an unlikely heroine, the stylish debutante Naomi, as she sets off to rescue her cousin from certain doom.
It Is Wood, It Is Stone by Gabriella Burnham
Release Date: June 30
Immerse yourself in Burnham’s lush prose in this story about three women in Sao Paulo, exploring the things that separate us and the forces that bind us together.
Want by Lynn Steger Strong
Release Date: July 7
Bankrupt mother, Elizabeth, struggles with wanting more and seemingly unable to achieve it. On an impulse, she reconnects with a childhood friend and finds a companion in her struggle.
How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
Release Date: July 7
Oil companies are destroying the fictional African Village of Kosawa, poisoning both the land and the people. The story follows a generation of children as they fight back.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Release Date: July 14
There’s no better summer reading than horror, and Jones delivers with this story about four Indian men haunted and hunted by an event from their past.
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
Release Date: July 14
The author of Cloud Atlas is back with another page-turner about the meteoric rise to fame of a British psychedelic band in the Sixties.
Afterland by Lauren Beukes
Release Date: July 28
This fast-paced thriller takes place in a world where men are all but extinct. A mother, Cole, fights to get her son to safety in a desperate race across post-apocalyptic America.
I Hold a Wolf by the Ears by Laura Van Den Berg
Release Date: July 28
Not a novel, but rather a collection of eleven ghost stories is perfect for park benches and picnics. Van Den Berg marks each ethereal chapter with wicked humor and insight.
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
Release Date: August 4
This novel’s considered one of the most anticipated books of the year. The story takes place in southeastern Nigeria, following gentle and mysterious Vivek from adolescence to adulthood and death.
Luster by Raven Leilani
Release Date: August 4
Edie’s trying to navigate her twenties when she’s drawn into an open marriage with Eric, his wife, and their adopted daughter. Leilani deftly writes about relationships and racial politics with razor-sharp wit.
Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest
Release Date: August 25
A perfect romantic comedy beach-read. The story follows pop-star Evie Jones as she searches New York for her grandmother Gigi with a cute delivery boy, Milo.
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