With half of 2021 almost behind us, it’s now time to start looking towards the next six months, and more importantly, the new books releasing between July and December 2021! Your to-buy lists are about to become even longer as it’s packed with books you’ll want to have your hands on ASAP from debut authors, as well as releases from some favourites, including Elizabeth Lim, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Samantha Downing, Anthony Ryan, TJ Klune, and so many more!
Read on to discover a few of our picks and be sure to tell us in the comments if you are looking forward to any of them too, plus stay tuned for our genre specific round-ups!
JULY 2021
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
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A fast-paced, thrilling horror novel that follows a group of heroines to die for, from the brilliant New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
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Tessa Bailey is back with a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
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Mulan meets The Song of Achilles in Shelley Parker-Chan’s She Who Became the Sun, a bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty from an amazing new voice in literary fantasy.
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
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A princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and an unspeakable curse… Drawing from fairy tales and East Asian folklore, this original fantasy from the author of Spin the Dawn is perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone.
The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel
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The New York Times bestselling author of the The Book of Lost Names returns with an evocative coming-of-age World War II story about a young woman who uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis—until a secret from her past threatens everything.
These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
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From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
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In A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers’s delightful new Monk & Robot series gives us hope for the future.
For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing
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USA Today bestselling author Samantha Downing is back with her latest sneaky thriller set at a prestigious private school—complete with interfering parents, overeager students, and one teacher who just wants to teach them all a lesson…
AUGUST 2021
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
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Courtney Gould’s thrilling debut The Dead and the Dark is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places―and people―you didn’t expect.
Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier
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A sweet, queer teen romance perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Check, Please!
The Pariah by Anthony Ryan
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The Pariah begins a new epic fantasy series of action, intrigue and magic from Anthony Ryan, a master storyteller who has taken the fantasy world by storm.
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
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From the author of the beloved national bestseller Migrations, a #1 IndieNext pick, a gorgeous and pulse-pounding new novel set in the wild Scottish Highlands.
Battle Royal by Lucy Parker
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Beloved author Lucy Parker pens a delicious new romantic comedy that is a battle of whisks and wits.
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a “delicious, twisted treat for lovers of noir” about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome enforcer, and the mystery of a missing woman they’re both desperate to find.
How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
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The Hating Game meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in this irresistible romance starring a Mexican American teen who discovers love and profound truths about the universe when she spends her summer on a road trip across the country.
The Desert Prince by Peter V. Brett
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A brand-new epic fantasy adventure set in the beloved world of the Demon Cycle, following a new generation of heroes, from New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett
SEPTEMBER 2021
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
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Beautiful World, Where Are You is a new novel by Sally Rooney, the bestselling author of Normal People and Conversations With Friends.
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
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In this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer.
Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
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A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place in Under the Whispering Door, a delightful queer love story from TJ Klune, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
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Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.
Nice Girls by Catherine Dang
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A pulse-pounding and deviously dark debut, written with the psychological acuity and emotional punch of Luckiest Girl Alive and All the Missing Girls, that explores the hungry, angry, dark side of girlhood and dares to ask what is most dangerous to a woman: showing the world what it wants to see, or who she really is?
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
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From the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, a gloriously entertaining novel of heists, shakedowns, and rip-offs set in Harlem in the 1960s.
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Nevernight Chronicle, Jay Kristoff, comes Empire of the Vampire, the first illustrated volume of an astonishing new dark fantasy saga.
OCTOBER 2021
Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
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The highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, multiple award-winning novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is an achingly romantic, tender tale sure to captivate fans of Adam Silvera and Mary H.K. Choi.
All the Feels by Olivia Dade
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Following Spoiler Alert, Olivia Dade returns with another utterly charming romantic comedy about a devil-may-care actor—who actually cares more than anyone knows—and the no-nonsense woman hired to keep him in line.
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
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USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow’s A Spindle Splintered brings her patented charm to a new version of a classic story.
The Mother Next Door by Tara Laskowski
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From award-winning author Tara Laskowski, The Mother Next Door is an atmospheric novel of domestic suspense in which the strive for perfection ends in murder…
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
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Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a gorgeously creepy haunted house tale, steeped in Japanese folklore and full of devastating twists.
City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn
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As darkness closes in on the city of shattered light, an heiress and an outlaw must decide whether to fend for themselves or fight for each other.
Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest
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A psychic travel agent and a Seattle PD detective solve a murder in this quirky mystery in the vein of Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files and Charlaine Harris’s Aurora Teagarden series.
Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper
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Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word in this fresh, sizzling rom-com by Lana Harper.
NOVEMBER 2021
Her Name is Knight by Yasmin Angoe
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A smash debut novel from rising star Yasmin Angoe, Her Name Is Knight features an elite assassin heroine on a mission to topple a human trafficking ring and avenge her family.
Noor by Nnedi Okorafor
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From africanfuturist luminary Okorafor comes a new science fiction novel of intense action and thoughtful rumination on biotechnology, destiny, and humanity in a near-future Nigeria.
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
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Red White & Royal Blue meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell in debut author Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light, featuring an Edwardian England full of magic, contracts, and conspiracies.
All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman
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The blockbuster co-writing debut of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, All of Us Villains begins a dark tale of ambition and magick…
You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith
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When a huge snowstorm hits, Adam and Whitney suddenly find themselves trapped inside the arcade. Cut off from their families, their worlds, and their responsibilities, the tension between them seems to melt away, leaving something else in its place. But what happens when the storm stops?
Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath
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The first in a new historical rom-com series, a handsome earl hires a fake fiancée to keep his matchmaking mother at bay, but hilarity ensues when love threatens to complicate everything.
Blue-Skinned Gods by S.J. Sindu
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From the award-winning author of Marriage of a Thousand Lies comes a brilliantly written, globe-spanning novel about identity, faith, family, and sexuality.
Everything We Didn’t Say by Nicole Baart
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From the author of Little Broken Things, a “race-to-the-finish family drama” (People) following a mother who must confront the dark summer that changed her life forever in order to reclaim the daughter she left behind.
DECEMBER 2021
If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich
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Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich’s “If This Gets Out is an absolute showstopper! Equal parts edgy and adorable, this bright, joyful book has everything I look for in a queer YA romance.” ―Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us
A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
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The New York Times bestselling author of The Wicked Deep weaves a richly atmospheric adult debut following three residents of a secluded, seemingly peaceful commune as they investigate the disappearances of two outsiders.
The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska
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The Wicked Deep meets House of Salt and Sorrows in this new standalone YA fantasy set in a snow-cloaked kingdom where witches are burned, and two enchantresses secretly compete for the heart of a prince, only to discover that they might be falling for each other.
Absynthe by Brendan Bellecourt
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In his sci-fi debut, Bellecourt explores an alternate roaring 20s where a shell-shocked soldier must uncover latent telepathic abilities to save himself and the people around him.
Safecracker by Ryan Wick
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In this wicked debut, safecracker Michael Maven must pull off the most dangerous theft of his long career–or his friends and family will be killed.
Here’s to Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera reunite to continue the story of Arthur and Ben, the boys readers first fell for in the New York Times bestselling rom-com What If It’s Us.
Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino
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A whip-smart, piercing debut novel, Smile and Look Pretty follows four assistants who band together to take on their toxic office environments in the ultimate comeuppance.
I Know Your Secret by Daphne Benedis-Grab
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One of Us is Lying meets Pretty Little Liars for middle-grade readers.
This is a phenominal list!! THANK YOU!! Boy I’m all excited after reading this~:D
Can’t wait for Jane Casey’s The Killing Kind! Thanks!