This post was updated Aug. 3 at 5:15 p.m.
As the days get longer, readers bask in the warmth of exciting summer book releases.
Whether readers are curling up at home to escape the heat or sunbathing in the warm glow of the summer sun at the beach, this summer promises the perfect read for all. Bookworms have a lot to look forward to, with new releases in genres ranging from historical fiction to murder mysteries to cultural folklore.
Continue reading to explore the Daily Bruin’s curated list of summer book collections.
“The Bewitching” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Random House Worlds)
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is unraveling another tale of Mexican myth and Gothic horror.
Known for her historical reimaginings and noir grit, the bestselling author of “Mexican Gothic” releases her new novel “The Bewitching” on July 15. The book follows three women who confront witchcraft across three generations, from 1900s Mexico to 1990s Massachusetts. Protagonist and graduate exchange student Minerva uncovers evidence of witchcraft – both in her thesis research and the stories passed from her great-grandmother – as she soon realizes the same evil force darkens the halls of her university.
Born in Mexico and now living in Canada, Moreno-Garcia has garnered extensive praise for her speculative fiction, including a 2023 Hugo Award nomination for her novel “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau.” In true Moreno-Garcia fashion, her latest work will explore a fusion of the horror, historical, noir and fantasy genres, while also taking inspiration from horror classics. With its Shirley Jackson influence, “The Bewitching” includes a 1930s perspective within its multigenerational scope, as well as a focus on the macabre and the uncanny.
Across time and space, “The Bewitching” is sure to leave readers spellbound.
– Gwendolyn Lopez
“Not Quite Dead Yet” by Holly Jackson (Bantam Books)
The mystery genre is heating up this July as Holly Jackson dives into the adult suspense category with “Not Quite Dead Yet.”
Releasing July 22, “Not Quite Dead Yet” follows Jet Mason, a woman born to a wealthy family in Vermont. The book puts a unique spin on murder mysteries, as Jet Mason is trying to solve her own murder. She was attacked by an unknown enemy and has just seven days to find the culprit before she dies from her injuries. The character feels as though she has never fully finished anything in her life and is determined to finish this case before her life is over. Jackson particularly feels that this novel is her best one to date.
Jackson broke into the young adult murder mystery genre with her 2019 release “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” which became a bestseller and took the BookTok community by storm. Since then, the British writer has developed the series into a BBC show and released several other books in the YA suspense genre. For the first time this July, Jackson will debut in the adult suspense category.
This summer, readers will join Jet on her seven-day countdown to her own murder in Jackson’s breakout into this new genre.
– Makayla Sandoval
“The Last Tiger” by Julia Riew and Brad Riew (Penguin Young Readers Group)
“The Last Tiger” is bringing long-lost history and a forbidden romance to bookshelves this month.
Releasing July 29, “The Last Tiger” is inspired by true stories from the family history of authors Julia and Brad Riew. The young adult historical fantasy novel is based on the lives of the authors’ grandparents during the Japanese occupation in Korea. The book documents one of the most difficult moments in Korean history, while celebrating the Riews’ grandparents’ love story.
Set in a fictionalized colonial Korea where tigers are being hunted to extinction, “The Last Tiger” follows star-crossed teens Choi Eunji, a rebellious noble girl, and Lee Seung, a servant fighting for freedom, as they unite to change their respective fates. Throughout their mission to win over the land’s last tiger – the key to their country’s liberation – Eunji and Seung’s relationship evolves from begrudging allies to bitter rivals to, later, romantic partners. “The Last Tiger” is not just a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance but also a nuanced exploration of class tension, the brutality of colonization and the suppression of Korean culture, intertwined with elements of Korean folklore.
“The Last Tiger” is a poignant re-imagining of Korea’s lost history that will have readers captivated by the characters’ fight for love, power and freedom.
– Sydney Gaw
“Vulture” by Phoebe Greenwood (Europa Editions)
Phoebe Greenwood is the embodiment of “no time like the present.”
Releasing Aug. 12, “Vulture” breaks the stereotype of fictionalizing war stories by setting the scene during the 2012 war in Gaza. Greenwood’s debut novel tells the story of Sara Byrne, a freelance reporter sent to cover the war with a hidden personal agenda. Staying at a four-star hotel alongside other reporters, Sara’s goal pushes her to abandon the safety of her environment by working with a member of a local militant family. “Vulture” highlights the influence of Western media on war conflicts and its human cost.
Greenwood takes a satirical approach to war through her main character, a beneficial strategy when it comes to digesting the sensitive topics illustrated in the novel. “Vulture,” which has been compared to the dark humor of the English show “Fleabag,” portrays its protagonist as one who often goes to great lengths to pursue a big story, disregarding those around her. As a former freelance correspondent herself, Greenwood’s knowledgeable writing brings the novel to life, immersing readers as if it were a personal account.
Greenwood’s new chapter as a writer highlights the humanity of current events.
– Ana Camila Burquez
“Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang (HarperCollins Publishers)
R.F. Kuang describes an epic journey for two academics in “Katabasis.”
In her newest fantasy novel releasing Aug. 26, Kuang explores academia through two graduate students. The main characters, Alice Law and Peter Murdoch, start out as academic rivals but must work together to save their advisor – who died in a magical accident – to retrieve their letters of recommendation. The title of the novel, “Katabasis,” is an Ancient Greek noun that means “the story of a hero’s descent to the underworld.” Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno” and Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” their journey will entertain readers through its absurdity.
Best known for her previous successful novels such as “Babel: An Arcane Series,” “Yellowface” and the Poppy Wars trilogy, Kuang returns to fantasy after experimenting with literary fiction. As a current doctoral student at Yale University with graduate degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, readers can expect her first-hand experiences in academia to inform her imaginary construction of academic hell.
Readers will be thrilled to join Alice and Peter in their descent to the underworld.
– Amy L. Wong
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