10 Best Books Coming out in August 2024

The last month of summer is approaching, and with it some great new releases. On this list are some long-awaited sequels, new releases from popular authors and fun debut novels. I hope you have a great reading month!

1. Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

If you loved Belladonna and Foxglove by Adalyn Grace, get ready for the third and final installment in the series — Wisteria. There isn’t a synopsis on Goodreads at the moment, but this is a continuation of Signa’s story. Based on the cover and what I found online, it will center more on Signa’s cousin, Blythe and her relationship with Fate. 

I read and liked Belladonna a lot and somehow never got around to reading Foxglove, so I might be making some time for it now that all of the books are — or will be — out. But overall, it’s a great YA book with gothic vibes and a likable heroine. 

2. Daydream by Hannah Grace

The third installment in the Maple Hills series, Daydream, is finally coming out — fans have been eagerly waiting for Henry’s story and now it’s here. Or, well, will be in late August. 

I read Icebreaker but didn’t really like it. It was too long and too chaotic for me, but I know it’s one of the most popular contemporary romance series right now. So, I hope the fans love it. 

3. The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

After several years, Casey McQuiston is finally releasing a new book. This one is about two exes who both decide to take the food tour they booked when they were together. Now trapped together for three weeks in the most romantic cities of Europe, they decide to start a hookup competition (to prove there’s nothing between them). 

It sounds like tons of fun and I can’t wait to read it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Red, White and Royal Blue but I’m always willing to give authors another chance — especially with a premise as fun as this. 

4. Apprentice to The Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

While I’m decidedly not a fan of this series (in fact, quite the opposite), I’m sure there are many fans that have been eagerly awaiting this release. This book follows Evie and The Villain and their story. So, while I won’t be reading it, I hope some of you enjoy it.

5. Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

This is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth that follows the life of Lady Macbeth. After the success of Ava Reid’s A Study in Drowning, many people are excited for this book. 

As a fan of the original Macbeth, I have to say that I’m a bit wary of this story. Lady Macbeth is a super interesting character, one of the most fascinating women in all of Shakespeare’s work — she’s middle aged, of no notable looks, but she’s cunning and ambitious. In Lady Macbeth, though, she appears to be a waifish teenage girl. Which would be fine, but I feel like it could (and would have) been better if this book followed the original material more closely. 

6. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

This book follows Cordelia, whose mother is a sorceress. She doesn’t let her have any friends or do much. One night, after a mysterious death in their small town, her mother makes them leave and they end up at a rich man’s manor. Her mother intends to marry the man, but his sister is wary of her and wants to save both her brother, and Cordelia. 

I’m really excited about this book — T. Kingfisher wrote one of my favorite books ever, Nettle and Bone, so I’m looking forward to reading this one too. 

7. Hera by Jennifer Saint

Jennifer Saint is famous for her retellings of mythological figures that have been misunderstood or cast as bad people. And in this new book, she is reimagining Hera as a powerful, ambitious, yet compassionate and kind queen. 

8. The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter

This book is set during lockdown in New York, when a man and his pregnant wife leave the city to get away from the pandemic. But none of the other people in their building have that opportunity. And later, when the wife disappears, they all get involved to find her. 

9. And So I Roar by Abi Daré

If you liked The Girl With the Louding Voice (by the same author), you might enjoy the continuation of Adunni’s story — And So I Roar. In it, she’s hiding out with Tia (who learns a terrible secret her sick mother has kept from her) and finally close to getting an education when trouble comes knocking on their door. 

10. Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by M.J. Wassmer

This story follows Dan Foster, an average underachiever, who goes on vacation with his girlfriend to an island. But then the sun explodes and the rich commandeer the supplies, the temperatures are getting lower and he accidentally becomes the unlikely hero of the people.