Lounging by the pool, basking in the ocean breeze, going camping, and taking your dream vacation abroad are all made better by one thing: reading.
July’s best new books and audiobooks are all about immersing yourself in new locales and experiences, from Silicon Valley to Rio de Janeiro to the outer reaches of the galaxy. You can even travel through time with the latest historical fiction by Vanessa Riley (Island Queen) or a futuristic sci-fi mystery by a debut author. This month’s new catalog also includes a memoir by K-pop phenomenon BTS, an LGBTQ+ horror novel from Chuck Tingle, and Chloe Gong’s Shakespeare-inspired adult debut.
A summer of reading is a summer well spent; let Scribd’s latest releases be your guide.
The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt
At 71, retired librarian Bob Comet lives a life of solitude until happenstance leads him to the local senior center. There, Bob opens up to his newfound friends, sharing non-linear memories from boyhood and young adulthood. As each new slice of life is revealed, the complete picture of Bob comes into focus. deWitt follows his 2018 novel, French Exit, with this slow but steady exploration of a life well lived and how every encounter can alter our stories.
Owner of a Lonely Heart by Beth Nguyen
Nguyen’s family fled Vietnam when she was only eight months old, leaving her mother behind. They wouldn’t see each other again for 18 years. In this highly anticipated memoir, Nguyen (Stealing Buddha's Dinner) ponders her identity as a daughter, mother, refugee, and American and how her birth mother’s absence shaped her sense of belonging and self. A contemplative and affecting reminder of how our heritage informs every stage of our lives.
Trinity by Zelda Lockhart
Lockhart (Fifth Born) makes the history of Black trauma painfully clear in this intergenerational saga set in Fayetteville, North Carolina. A spirit observes the Lee family for centuries, bearing witness to slavery, abuse, war, racism, and violence. When Lottie Rebecca Lee arrives, the spirit is born with her, filling her head with visions of the past. Lottie’s gift is isolating, but it may be the only way to replace the cycle of heartache with true healing.
The Exhibitionist by Charlotte Mendelson
Ray Hanrahan is a past-his-prime artist who regularly degrades his family. His wife Lucia is also an artist who, despite being more talented than her husband, has long put her desires and ambitions on the back burner. But that may be about to change as the couple and their three adult children gather for Ray’s latest exhibition. Actress Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply) narrates Mendelson’s latest, which simmers with resentment and pent-up desire.
Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen
Nguyen’s delightful debut follows a Vietnamese Canadian family scheming to protect their mom-and-pop nail salon when a fancy competitor moves into the neighborhood. Witty banter, relatable intergenerational squabbles, and madcap antics drive the plot, but more profound messages on legacy, gentrification, and the enduring power of family make this story memorable.
Beyond the Story by BTS and Myeongseok Kang
BTS, a band synonymous with K-pop itself, opens up about artistry and fame in honor of the 10th anniversary of their debut album, “2 Cool 4 Skool.” Co-written with journalist Kang, “Beyond the Story” digs into the band members’ personal and musical journeys and their collective rise to chart-topping pop sensations. This inside look at fame, passion, and the music industry is fascinating for fans and converts (because you’ll likely become a fan after reading).
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
Cassie works a grueling job at a tech startup, where the irony of Silicon Valley wealth amid rampant homelessness in San Francisco is on full display. A pervasive sense of dread haunts Cassie, along with a black hole only she can see. Is the world ending, or is Cassie losing her mind? Corporate greed and our depression-riddled age are at the forefront of this increasingly surreal novel by the Shirley Jackson-winning author of The Book of X.
Queen of Exiles by Vanessa Riley
The Militia House by John Milas
In Kajaki, Afghanistan, Corporal Alex Loyette and his unit venture off to explore an abandoned — supposedly haunted — militia house. After their eerie adventure, haunting experiences drive the troop to a breaking point. Milas, a debut author and former Marine, deftly uses gothic horror to mirror the anxieties and traumas of war. The Militia House is psychologically unsettling and palpably tense, and Roxane Gay already selected it as the August read for her Audacious Book Club.
A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow
YA author Dow (The Kindred) pens a new space opera that follows an unlikely trio into the heart of intergalactic war. Zaira, the god Indigo reborn, must flee her home planet or be sacrificed by the emperor. She teams up with Wesley, an ambitious smuggler, and Rubin, a rebellious podcaster, hoping to save herself and her people from destruction. Energetic, genre-bending, and wonderfully diverse, A Song of Salvation addresses colonialism and self-empowerment.
“I don't know what day of the week it is. I know what day of the war it is.” These open-eyed, never-before-told firsthand accounts from everyday Ukrainians about the harrowing early days of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 provide critical perspectives about the ongoing conflict. Renowned poet and activist Serhiy Zhadan introduces this collection that highlights the courage and perseverance of Ukraine’s people.
Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
YA author and BookTok sensation Gong (Foul Lady Fortune, These Violent Delights) makes her adult debut with a trilogy starter inspired by Antony & Cleopatra and likened to The Hunger Games. The kingdom of Talin hosts an annual winner-take-all, fight-to-the-death competition with unthinkable wealth on the line. Princess Calla enters in disguise and quickly allies with Anton, a royal exile. Their rivals-to-lovers relationship keeps the tension high, as do political intrigue and fantastical battle sequences.
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Born in London to Ghanaian immigrants, Stephen struggles with dueling desires: to meet his family’s expectations or pursue his passion for music and dance. Both options include some form of heartbreak. Nelson, whose debut Open Water won the Costa First Novel Award, describes the immigrant experience, generational divides, and our innate desire to belong with painful, poetic accuracy.
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
From the unparalleled mind of Tingle, the pseudonymous author best known for self-publishing queer erotica like My Billionaire Triceratops Craves Gay Ass, comes a possession novel rooted in real-world evils. Rose, a member of a church known for its LGBTQ+ conversion camp, starts seeing gruesome visions. Soon, she unlocks the dark truth behind Camp Damascus’ 100% success rate. Tingle’s first traditionally published work abounds with horrors of all kinds (from demons to bigotry), but love wins in the end.
The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei
With Earth on the brink of destruction, a crew of 80 departs into space to recolonize a new planet. Among them is Asuka, who struggles to feel worthy of her place aboard The Phoenix. When disaster strikes and everyone suspects Asuka, she must find the saboteur to protect herself and the very future of humanity. Kitasei’s debut is a sci-fi mystery about human nature and survival. A layered and relatable heroine is one of this book’s many bright spots.
Tropicália by Harold Rogers
The Cunha family is cursed, each generation reckoning with bad luck and even worse choices. Just as Daniel Cunha is reeling from a messy breakup, his absent mother makes an unwelcome return. Told from multiple perspectives, Tropicália unfolds over the week leading up to New Year’s Eve in Rio de Janeiro, where the Cunha’s ultimate confrontation plays out on Copacabana Beach. Tense and melodramatic, this story of a fractured family trying to make sense of the world cuts deep.
Jackal, Jackal by Tobi Ogundiran
Ogundiran, a short fiction author and finalist for Shirley Jackson, Ignyte, Nommo, and other awards, unites Nigerian mythology and Grimm fairy tale lore, adding his own imaginative twists along the way. The stories, each dark, haunting, and immersive, range from horror to dark fantasy. Best of all, they’re gorgeously written — and impossible to forget.
Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker
I Am Not Alone by Francisco X. Stork
Alberto, an undocumented Mexican teen working hard to survive in New York, becomes the suspect in a violent crime. Worse, his deteriorating mental health makes it hard for even Alberto to know the truth. Only his friend Grace believes in his innocence and is determined to prove it. Stork (On the Hook) explores mental illness, the power of community, and overcoming stigma in this dual-perspective YA mystery.
Under This Forgetful Sky by Lauren Yero
Privileged but stifled, 16-year-old Rumi lives in the walled city of St. Iago, but when his father faces a mortal illness, Rumi escapes to find a cure. He meets Paz, who grew up in the bleak outside world and can guide him on his journey. But Paz isn’t who she says she is, and her secrets could destroy Rumi’s whole world. This dystopian sci-fi highlights the inevitable fallout of economic disparity and poverty-fueled desperation, and a star-crossed lovers angle makes the stakes soar.
Prom Mom by Laura Lippman
Years after being convicted of manslaughter for killing her newborn during senior prom, Amber Glass reconnects with the father of the baby, a now-successful real estate broker and serial cheater. Thus begins a twisted game of wits — backdropped by the pandemic — culminating in a startling reveal about that fateful night. Lippman’s latest thriller (following Dream Girl) takes readers down a dizzying rabbit hole of deceit.
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About the Author: Lanie Pemberton
Lanie is a San Diego-based freelance writer with many Scribd Snapshots and recommended reading lists under her belt. She loves reading about animals and the natural world, with plenty of murder mysteries peppered in. When she needs a break from writing and reading, Lanie can be found taking long walks under the SoCal sun, usually alongside her husband and pampered pittie, Peach.
