July is almost over, August is almost here - and with it comes new books! August 6th in particular is a day I have been looking forward to, as every single release seems like it's going to be incredible. While it was hard to narrow down the top August releases I am excited for, I have come up with the five I am sure I will be talking about nonstop.
1. Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
When I got to the end of Assistant to the Villain, I screamed when I realized it was a cliffhanger. And while Hannah Nicole Maehrer has teased there will be an additional point of view, at least for the first chapter, I am still anxiously waiting for what will happen to Trystan, Evie, and the rest of the office. What does Evil Evie look like? How will she rescue her boss? Will we find out how Kingsley was cursed? These are all very important questions I need answered the moment this book comes out. And I won't lie, I will probably be staying up entirely too late reading this book on release day.
Apprentice to the Villain is available for preorder and will be released on August 6th, 2024
2. The Great Dating Fake-Off by Livy Hart
I love a good pun, so when I first saw this title and saw the connection to The Great British Bake-Off, I laughed and immediately had to see what this book was about. But, the more I read the blurb, the more I knew I absolutely had to read this book. Not one but two fake dating couples? An over-the-top wedding? Families that hate each other? It looks like a comedy of errors that will leave readers laughing out loud as we hope the bride and groom get down the aisle.
The Great Dating Fake-Off is available for preorder and will be released on August 6th, 2024
3. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
The Goose Girl is my favorite fairy tale. There's zombie talking horses, there's identity theft, and there's torture. As you can see, it's very dark. However, T. Kingfisher has written what is being advertised as a dark retelling of The Goose Girl, and it's left me wondering - how can this novel be darker than the original story? I'm excited to find out how the magic of this world works and to see the familiar beats of the story I love with my entire heart.
A Sorceress Comes to Call is available for preorder and will be released on August 6th, 2024
4. By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is an author who has been around for as long as I have been alive. I remember seeing some of her books on my grandmother's bookshelves and always believed when I was old enough I would read them. Unfortunately, those books are gone and I never got the chance. But I read the synopsis of this book and could immediately imagine the book club my grandma and I would have had. I've always been a Shakespeare fan, and I've always been intrigued by the idea he wasn't the author of his works. This book takes that conspiracy theory and runs with it, with a dual plotline with a contemporary point of view with similar problems. I look forward to seeing the similarities and differences between the women in the different time frames and am interested in how the theme of a woman's ability to take ownership of her art is presented across the entire novel.
By Any Other Name is available for preorder and will be released on August 20, 2024
5. The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
I was lucky enough to hear Heather Walter talk about this book during Phoenix Fan Fusion last May, and I have been counting down the days until release ever since. I love Tudor history and fairy tale retellings - and this book will take my love of both and turn it into a dark retelling of Snow White! I am excited about the court drama, the intrigue, and the secrets, and I am sure other readers will be too!
The Crimson Crown is available for preorder and will be released on August 27th, 2024