Books Publishing This Week
Books Publishing This Week: July 28 - August 3
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The end of July carries with it the golden warmth of summer, an ideal time to start a new book. You feel a thrill of anticipation as you reach for your straw basket, a faithful companion that holds the promise of countless adventures within its woven walls. It's a bright morning, the sun already climbing high, casting a soft, inviting glow over the landscape as you prepare for your literary journey.
Your chosen book for today is nestled securely among a few other new acquisitions, their fresh covers gleaming with the allure of untold stories. You can't help but smile as you think about the hours of joy and discovery that lie ahead. There's something almost magical about starting a new book at this time of year—when the days are long and the evenings linger with a lazy, amber light.
You step out of your home, the straw basket swinging gently by your side. The air is warm and fragrant with the scent of blooming flowers and fresh-cut grass. You take a deep breath, savoring the richness of the summer morning, and set off towards your special reading spot.
Your walk takes you through familiar streets, each step bringing a sense of comfort and anticipation. The sidewalks are dotted with dappled shadows from the trees overhead, offering brief respites of coolness as you pass beneath them. You wave to a neighbor tending their garden, the colorful blooms adding a cheerful backdrop to your journey. There's a sense of community here, a shared appreciation for the simple pleasures of a summer day.
As you walk, you can feel the excitement building. There's something about the act of walking to a favorite spot that heightens the sense of ritual, making the moment feel even more special. You pass by the local park, where children are laughing and playing, their joyous sounds filling the air. You smile to yourself, remembering your own childhood summers filled with carefree days and endless possibilities.
Your path eventually leads you to a small, secluded clearing by the river—a hidden gem you've claimed as your own personal sanctuary. The gentle murmur of the water creates a soothing soundtrack, harmonizing with the rustling leaves and the distant chirping of birds. This spot, with its natural beauty and tranquil ambiance, is the perfect place to lose yourself in a book.
You lay out a soft blanket, the fabric catching the sunlight and creating a cozy haven. The straw basket finds its place beside you, and you carefully pull out your new book, savoring the weight of it in your hands. There's a moment of reverence as you open the cover, the crisp pages releasing a faint, intoxicating aroma of fresh ink and paper.
Settling into a comfortable position, you begin to read, the words flowing effortlessly, drawing you into the story. The world around you fades away as the narrative takes hold, transporting you to distant lands, introducing you to new characters, and unfolding a tale that is both captivating and profound. The hours pass unnoticed, marked only by the subtle shifts in the sunlight and the gentle caress of the breeze.
Every now and then, you pause to look up, allowing your eyes to rest on the serene river, the rhythmic flow of the water mirroring the pace of your thoughts. These moments of reflection deepen your connection to the story, allowing you to ponder its themes and implications. The quiet solitude of your reading spot enhances your experience, providing the perfect backdrop for introspection and immersion.
As the afternoon progresses, you find yourself nearing the end of the book, a bittersweet feeling settling in. There's a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in finishing a story, yet also a wistful longing to remain in its world just a little longer. You close the book with a sigh, taking a moment to appreciate the journey you've just completed.
Packing up your blanket and placing the book back into your straw basket, you rise to your feet, feeling a renewed sense of contentment and joy. The walk home is peaceful, your mind still lingering on the story, savoring the last remnants of its magic. Starting a new book at the end of July has a way of enriching your soul, leaving you with memories that will linger long after the summer days have faded into autumn.
Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan
Princess Jasalyn has a secret. Armed with an enchanted ring that gives her death’s kiss, Jas has been sneaking away from the palace at night to assassinate her enemies.
Shape-shifter Felicity needs a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, she’s been using her unique ability to evade a fatal prophecy.
When rumors of evil king Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn decides to end him once and for all. Felicity agrees to take the form of the princess, allowing Jas to covertly hunt Mordeus—and starting Felicity on the path that could finally take her home.
While Jasalyn teams up with the charming and handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha. Kendrick helps Jasalyn feel something other than anger for the first time in three years, and Misha makes Felicity wish for a world where she’s free to be her true self. Soon, the girls’ missions are at risk right alongside their hearts.
The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance as fates intertwine. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all.
The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff
A timeless tale of unwavering devotion, The Days I Loved You Most is the next great book club sensation and love story for the ages, joining The Notebook, Me Before You, and In Five Years
Joseph and Evelyn’s New England beach homes have been side by side for generations. And in the summer of 1941, on the shores where they were raised, these two childhood friends fell in love.
Now, more than sixty years later, with a lifetime between them, Joseph and Evelyn gather their three grown children to share the stunning news: She has received a tragic diagnosis, and he cannot live without her. So in one year’s time, they will end their lives on their own terms.
As the couple comes to grips with their fate, they retrace their past—the joys and regrets, the laughter and the sorrow—that brought them to this moment. They embark on a journey to create new memories to cherish, to live out their greatest dreams, and to comfort and connect with each of their children before they're gone. But as their final days draw closer, they must confront the stark reality of what they are about to do, and make peace with the legacy they will leave behind for their family.
An unforgettable and deeply romantic debut, The Days I Loved You Most is a moving tribute to the enduring power of love, a celebration of a lifetime spent together, and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope and beauty to be found.
My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes
Three generations of fiercely strong and stubborn Mexican American women face grief head-on as they attempt to shed generational trauma and discover the true meaning of home in this lyrical novel that features magical realism in the tradition of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina and The House of the Spirits.
Name Your Price by Holly James
In Holly James's newest rom-com, sparks ignite as a pair of broke exes get locked in a house together on a reality show for a chance to win a million dollars, a second-chance romance that perfectly captures the absurd sincerity of made-for-TV love.
Olivia Martin and Chuck Walsh have chemistry. Too much chemistry, perhaps. Their every interaction as a couple either lights the house up with sexual tension or burns it down with anger. After one huge, very public fight, they finally break up for good. Or so they think. Someone was filming their dramatic argument in the street and—because Olivia’s parents were Hollywood royalty, and because Chuck’s an actor whose star is on the rise—the video goes viral. When Name Your Price, a reality game show, sees the footage, they invite Olivia and Chuck to shoot a very unusual challenge: Live locked in a house together for one month and they will be paid a million dollars. Each.
Olivia really needs the money if she's going to keep her beloved grandmother in her nursing home, and Chuck is desperate for any chance to win Olivia back. So the game is on—even as the show tries to pluck every nerve with only one bed, one bathroom, and a set of rules that will lose them money if broken—including no touching. With stakes that have never been higher and their explosive chemistry at a fever pitch, can Chuck and Olivia keep it together (and their hands off each other) for one month? Find out next week on Name Your Price!
The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas
A fake engagement, second chances, and newfound family members come together in this new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the “swoon-worthy” (Business Insider) The Spanish Love Deception.
The Power of Hormones by Max Nieuwdorp, MD, PhD
Decode the subtle signals of hormones with this foundational book from expert endocrinologist and leading researcher in the field.
Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas
One woman learns the secrets of the five Jaeger brothers in the new romance from New York Times bestselling author Penelope Douglas.
On the other side of town, in the dark glades, under the rain…
Macon is the oldest. Thirty-one. Ex-Marine. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile.
Army is twenty-eight. A single dad with the most beautiful green eyes. He has no idea who he is, if not a Jaeger brother.
Iron will be in prison soon. You’d never think it to meet him. He’s a nice guy, actually. But he can’t stop reacting to everything.
Dallas is the one I hate. Twenty-one, cruel, and selfish. He takes and then throws away whatever’s left.
And Trace is mine. Or he was for about two seconds. No one can tame him for long.
Not that I ever wanted to. It was fun, but now I need to go home. Back to my side of the tracks. Away from the swamps and these men. To my parents’ big house. On my clean street. Where I’m never dirty or messy or hot. And I will. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. I just want to crash on the couch tonight.
Their house is dark and quiet, everyone else is asleep. Except for one. He sees me crying and comes at me from behind. I let him wrap his arms around my body and hold me tightly. His breath is on my neck, his fingers are in my hair, and he doesn’t stop there.
I don’t think it was Trace.
Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman
Jane Eyre meets The Thirteenth Tale in this new modern gothic mystery from two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award–winner Carol Goodman, about a reclusive writer who is desperate to rewrite the past.
Losing yourself inside of a book can be dangerous. Not everyone finds their way out.
Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small independent publisher, has been hired by enigmatic author Veronica St. Clair to transcribe the sequel to her 1993 hit phenomenon, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights. St. Clair has been a recluse since the publication of the Jane Eyre-esque book, which coincided with a terrible fire that blinded and scarred her. Arriving in the Hudson Valley at St. Clair’s crumbling estate, which was once a psychiatric hospital for “wayward women,” Agnes is eager to ensure St. Clair’s devoted fans will get the sequel they’ve been anticipating for the past thirty years.
As St. Clair dictates, Agnes realizes there are clues in the story that reveal the true—and terrifying—events three decades ago that inspired the original novel. The line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred, and Agnes discovers terrible secrets about an unresolved murder from long ago, which have startling connections to her own life. As St. Clair’s twisting tale infiltrates Agnes’s psyche, Agnes begins to question her own sanity—and safety. In order to save herself, Agnes must uncover what really happened to St. Clair, and in doing so, set free the stories of all the women victimized by Wyldcliffe Heights.
A Lethal Lady by Nekesa Afia
Louise Lloyd is finally living the quiet life she’d longed for, working in a parfumerie by day and spending time with her new friends every night at the Aquarius club in Paris. When a desperate mother asks for help locating her artist daughter, Louise initially refuses to keep her hard-won but fragile peace intact. But the woman comes with a letter of introduction from an old friend in Harlem, and Louise realizes she has no choice but to do what she can to find the missing young woman.
The woman’s daughter, Iris Wright, is part of an elite social circle. Louise soon finds herself drawn into a world of privilege and ice-cold ambition—a young group of artists who will do anything to get ahead—but would they murder one of their own? With the help of some friends from home, Louise must untangle a web of lies, jealousy, and betrayal to find out what really happened to Iris while fighting to keep her new life from crashing down around her.
The Disappeared by Rebecca Sanford
Inspired by the real mothers and grandmothers who spoke out against Argentina’s military dictatorship, The Disappeared is an award-winning debut about identity, family secrets, and those who endured decades of hardship to expose the truth.
In 1976 Buenos Aires, Lorena Ledesma is a housewife with dangerous secrets living under Argentina’s rising military dictatorship. When she and her husband are torn from their home by the paramilitary in the middle of the night, their two-year-old son is left behind with Lorena’s mother, Esme. There’s never any record of the arrest. Desperate to locate Lorena, Esme joins an underground group of mothers who are investigating the disappearances of their own missing children. But when they make a devastating discovery—that several of their kidnapped daughters have given birth in prison—a new kind of pursuit begins: the search for their stolen grandchildren.
Nearly three decades later, thousands of miles away, American adoptee Rachel Sprague learns she has a biological brother from another country—somewhere she has never visited. But the truth goes far deeper than the results of a DNA test, and revealing her origins will expose painful family secrets that could put Rachel’s loved ones in jeopardy.
A heart-wrenching drama that spans thirty years, The Disappeared is inspired by the true stories of the mothers and grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an extraordinary group of women who, for more than forty-five years, have been searching for children of the “disappeared”—those captured as dissidents during Argentina’s Dirty War.
Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda
Author Interview with Sofia Robleda
For a young woman coming of age in sixteenth-century Guatemala, safeguarding her people’s legacy is a dangerous pursuit in a mystical, empowering, and richly imagined historical novel.
Catalina de Cerrato is being raised by her widowed father, Don Alonso, in 1551 Guatemala, scarcely thirty years since the Spanish invasion. A ruling member of the oppressive Spanish hierarchy, Don Alonso holds sway over the newly relegated lower class of Indigenous communities. Fiercely independent, Catalina struggles to honor her father and her late mother, a Maya noblewoman to whom Catalina made a vow that only she can keep: preserve the lost sacred text of the Popol Vuh, the treasured and now forbidden history of the K’iche’ people.
Urged on by her mother’s spirit voice, and possessing the gift of committing the invaluable stories to memory, Catalina embarks on a secret and transcendent quest to rewrite them. Through ancient pyramids, Spanish villas, and caves of masked devils, she finds an ally in the captivating Juan de Rojas, a lord whose rule was compromised by the invasion. But as their love and trust unfold, and Don Alonso’s tyranny escalates, Catalina must confront her conflicted blood heritage―and its secrets―once and for all if she’s to follow her dangerous quest to its historic end.
You Shouldn't Be Here by Lauren Thoman
Two strangers search for the truth behind bizarre occurrences no one else dares to discuss—only to discover that they’re connected by secrets that could destroy them both. A thrilling and twisty novel by the acclaimed author of the Mindy’s Book Studio pick I’ll Stop the World.
When sixteen-year-old Angie Stewart starts hearing a mysterious voice in her house, she’s thrilled at the possibility of a ghost. Finally, something interesting is happening in her boring hometown of East Henderson, Pennsylvania. But why is she the only one who can hear it? And what does it want from her?
Meanwhile, first-year teacher Madelyn Zhao just got the keys to her new home, which is located close to her job, within walking distance of a dog park—and, most importantly, in the town where her cousin went missing several years ago. No one in East Henderson wants to talk about what happened, but Madelyn is determined to find answers.
As the two strangers search for clues, their investigations begin to point toward the same dark place. But by the time they realize that the truth could be deadly, it’s too late to turn back. And someone out there will stop at nothing to make sure their secrets stay buried.
Not What She Seems by Yasmin Angoe
Author Interview with Yasmin Angoe
She left home as the local pariah, but when a family tragedy brings her back, she must confront her tortured past―and a new danger in town that no one seems to understand but her.
After years of self-exile, Jacinda “Jac” Brodie is back in Brook Haven, South Carolina. But the small cliffside town no longer feels like home. Jac hasn’t been there since the beloved chief of police fell to his death―and all the whispers said she was to blame.
That chief was Jac’s father.
Racked with guilt, Jac left town with no plans to return. But when her granddad lands in the hospital, she rushes back to her family, bracing herself to confront the past.
Brook Haven feels different now. Wealthy newcomer Faye Arden has transformed the notorious Moor Manor into a quaint country inn. Jac’s convinced something sinister lurks beneath Faye’s perfect exterior, yet the whole town fawns over their charismatic new benefactor. And when Jac discovers one of her granddad’s prized possessions in Faye’s office, she knows she has to be right.
But as Jac continues to dig, she stumbles upon dangerous truths that hit too close to home. With not only her life but also her family’s safety on the line, Jac discovers that maybe some secrets are better left buried.
In Any Lifetime by Marc Guggenheim
A devoted husband defies fate and risks everything to find the one universe where his beloved wife is still alive in this bold and thought-provoking novel.
Dr. Jonas Cullen has spent his career as a groundbreaking physicist defying the odds. But on the best night of his life―the night his wife, Amanda, tells him they’re finally having a baby―everything is taken away when a tragic car accident claims the lives of Amanda and their unborn child.
Gutted by pain, Jonas sets out to find a way to bring back Amanda―or rather, find a parallel universe in which she’s still alive. But that’s easier said than done. As Jonas comes to understand all too well, the universe favors certain outcomes…and Amanda’s death is one of them.
Guggenheim’s novel takes readers on a suspenseful journey, intercutting scenes of Jonas’s frantic, present-day search across multiple realities with glimpses from the past of his unfolding romance and eventual marriage. Will Jonas and Amanda reunite in some other world, or will fate succeed in taking her from him forever?
