{"id":108377,"date":"2025-08-30T19:51:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T19:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/108377\/"},"modified":"2025-08-30T19:51:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T19:51:24","slug":"need-a-new-book-here-are-15-new-ones-from-romance-to-horror","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/108377\/","title":{"rendered":"Need a new book? Here are 15 new ones, from romance to horror"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ready to line your bookshelves?<\/p>\n

August\u2019s hottest new books include riveting kitchen confidential memoirs and fantastical journeys to hell, literary TikTok horrors and swoony romances ready to fill that \u201cLove Island\u201d void.<\/a><\/p>\n

This month also saw plenty of celebrity book news, including tell-alls from \u201cTed Lasso\u201d actor Keeley Hazell<\/a> and \u201cCamp Rock\u201d and Disney alum Alyson Stoner<\/a>. Jennette McCurdy, author of the bestselling “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” announced her debut novel<\/a>. We chatted with plus-sized model Tess Holliday<\/a>, who wrote a new book aimed at bolstering teen confidence. Even Barack Obama shared his favorite books<\/a> in his annual summer roundup.<\/p>\n

What to read next: 15 new books to check out now<\/p>\n

We\u2019re willing to bet your next great read is in this list. From cozy, whimsical fantasies to historical fiction and horror, this guide to August\u2019s brightest new releases has something for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u2018Katabasis\u2019 by R.F. Kuang\""Katabasis"<\/p>\n

“Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang<\/p>\n

Kuang delivers an epic for dark academia lovers, romantasy readers and mythology nerds alike in \u201cKatabasis.\u201d<\/a> Both a high-stakes adventure and a commentary on the academic world, \u201cKatabasis\u201d is about a magic-studying graduate student who will do anything for success, even if that means journeying through Hell to save her toxic professor.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Magician of Tiger Castle\u2019 by Louis Sachar\""The<\/p>\n

“The Magician of Tiger Castle” is out now.<\/p>\n

This cozy, historical fairytale is brimming with nostalgia and whimsy, perfect for grown-up fans of \u201cHoles.\u201d<\/a> \u201cThe Magician of Tiger Castle\u201d<\/a> follows a tea-obsessed magician tasked with saving the kingdom after a princess falls in love with a lowly scribe rather than the prince she was arranged to marry.<\/p>\n

\u2018People Like Us\u2019 by Jason Mott\""People<\/p>\n

“People Like Us” by Jason Mott<\/p>\n

National Book Award winner Mott<\/a> started writing \u201cPeople Like Us\u201d<\/a> as a memoir, but pivoted to ultra-meta fiction, serving as a quasi-sequel to his bestseller \u201cHell of a Book.\u201d This enrapturing novel follows the fever dream aftermath of an author who wins a national literary award while another author visits a university that\u2019s just experienced a mass shooting.\u00a0Come for a peek behind the curtain at literary A-listers and stay for the poignant commentary on racism and gun violence in America.<\/p>\n

\u2018Tart: Misadventures of an Anonymous Chef\u2019 by Slutty Cheff\""Tart"<\/p>\n

“Tart” by Slutty Cheff<\/p>\n

This memoir<\/a> is a biting and hilarious romp through kitchens and adulthood from the anonymous British Vogue columnist behind @sluttycheff<\/a> on Instagram. It\u2019s a raw depiction of a young woman who ditches corporate work for the high-stakes kitchens of the fine dining world.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Re-Write\u2019 by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn\""The<\/p>\n

“The Re-Write” by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn<\/p>\n

“The Re-Write”<\/a> is for anyone missing “Love Island” right now. Temi and Wale already have an unhappy ending. They had a whirlwind romance, which ended when Wale left his aspiring writer girlfriend for a shot at fame on a reality dating show. Now with celebrity status as a bad boy, Wale is looking for a ghostwriter to pen his memoir. When that turns out to be Temi, will they get another shot at a happily ever after?<\/p>\n

\u2018The Hounding\u2019 by Xenobe Purvis\""The<\/p>\n

“The Hounding” by Xenobe Purvis<\/p>\n

Billed for fans of \u201cThe Crucible\u201d and \u201cThe Virgin Suicides,\u201d \u201cThe Hounding\u201d<\/a> shows how far one town will go to keep young women under its thumb. Little Nettlebed residents have always perceived the Mansfield girls as odd. But when one man swears he saw them transform into dogs, the town rumor mill quickly gets out of control.<\/p>\n

\u2018Loved One\u2019 by Aisha Muharrar\""Loved<\/p>\n

“Loved One” by Aisha Muharrar<\/p>\n

A meditation on grief, friendship and memory, \u201cLoved One\u201d<\/a> follows 30-year-old Julia as she attends the funeral of her first-love-turned-close-friend Gabe, who died unexpectedly. There, she meets the last woman Gabe loved, which sets both women on a collision course to uncover the deepest parts they\u2019re hiding from themselves and each other.<\/p>\n

\u2018If You\u2019re Seeing This, It\u2019s Meant for You\u2019 by Leigh Stein\""If<\/p>\n

“If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You” by Leigh Stein<\/p>\n

This literary horror<\/a> is for anyone who\u2019s felt fate intervening on their TikTok feed. Dayna is unemployed and newly single, and an out-of-the-blue opportunity to fix up a dilapidated mansion into an influencer house seems like her ticket to a new life. Then the house\u2019s enigmatic tarot card influencer vanishes, and Dayna and another house member begin a social media campaign to find her \u2013 and gain some virality for themselves.<\/p>\n

\u2018A New New Me\u2019 by Helen Oyeyemi\""A<\/p>\n

“A New New Me” by Helen Oyeyemi<\/p>\n

\u201cA New New Me\u201d<\/a> is short and sweet speculative literary fiction, a punchy story about a woman who splits herself seven ways to get through the week \u2013 Kinga-A through Kinga-G live different lives with different personalities on their designated day. The Kingas live in careful balance, but when Kinga-A discovers a man tied up in their apartment, all versions must reckon with what they know about each other.<\/p>\n

\u2018L.A. Women\u2019 by Ella Berman\""L.A.<\/p>\n

“L.A. Women” by Ella Berman<\/p>\n

Fans of \u201cDidion and Babitz\u201d and the literary lore of 1960s California will love \u201cL.A. Women.\u201d<\/a> This novel follows a pair of famous frenemy writers drawn to each other as their careers skyrocket. But then one betrays the other by penning a book based on the life of the other, calling into question whether great art is worth the cost.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Book of Lost Hours\u2019 Hayley Gelfuso\""The<\/p>\n

“The Book of Lost Hours” by Hayley Gelfuso<\/p>\n

Told in two timelines, this historical fantasy<\/a> set in Cold War-era America centers on a mystical library filled with specially made watches that contain the memories of the deceased. A young girl grows up there, trapped and alone, after her watchmaker father vanishes. But her sanctuary is at risk of government overtake by agents who want to control remembered history.<\/p>\n

\u2018Once Upon a Time in Dollywood\u2019 by Ashley Jordan\""Once<\/p>\n

“Once Upon a Time in Dollywood” by Ashley Jordan.<\/p>\n

Desperate times call for drastic change in this debut rom-com<\/a>. When words fail star playwright Eve Ambroise, she grasps for a fresh start by ending her engagement, cutting off her parents and escaping to the Tennessee mountains. She moves next door to Jamie Gallagher, a single dad trying to find equilibrium after a rough custody battle. The two find chemistry quickly, and when true feelings ignite, they wonder if it\u2019s worth the risk of being burned again.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Possession of Alba D\u00edaz\u2019 by Isabel Ca\u00f1as\""The<\/p>\n

“The Possession of Alba Diaz” by Isabel Ca\u00f1as<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Possession of Alba D\u00edaz\u201d <\/a>is a gothic horror set in 1765 as a young woman flees her plague-stricken home with her wealthy parents and her fianc\u00e9. But the horror doesn\u2019t stop after her escape \u2013 she starts suffering strange hallucinations and convulsions. As her condition worsens, her fianc\u00e9\u2019s brooding cousin becomes an unwilling participant in the evil forces tormenting her.<\/p>\n

\u2018We Are All Guilty Here\u2019 by Karin Slaughter\""We<\/p>\n

“We Are All Guilty Here” by Karin Slaughter<\/p>\n

Every teenager has something to hide, but what happens when those secrets turn deadly? When two teen girls vanish<\/a> from the small town of North Falls, Officer Emmy Clifton is determined to find them, not just to uncover the truth but because one of the missing girls is her best friend\u2019s daughter. As she pieces together the puzzle, she realizes nothing was ever as it seemed.<\/p>\n

\u2018Lucky Day\u2019 by Chuck Tingle\""Lucky<\/p>\n

“Lucky Day” by Chuck Tingle<\/p>\n

From the bestselling horror author of \u201cBury Your Gays\u201d comes an apocalyptic tale<\/a> of a former statistics professor solving a horrific global disaster \u2013 the Low-Probability Event, a day of bizarre freak accidents that killed eight million people in total. A suspicious casino may be the answer to the questions that she, and all of humanity, are grappling with.<\/p>\n

Is trad wife thriller a thing now?: Scandalous domestic horrors to read next<\/a><\/p>\n

Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY\u2019s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram<\/a>, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter<\/a> or tell her what you\u2019re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Contributing: Jennifer McClellan<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What should I read next? 15 new books to check out<\/a><\/p>\n