As the summer heat lingers and the back-to-school buzz starts creeping in, August often brings a curious mix of sun-drenched reads and introspective storytelling. It’s the perfect time for transitional fiction which are books that sit at the intersection of breezy and bold, comfort and complexity. BOTM tends to lean into that late-summer energy with picks that give you one last beach read alongside something darker to ease you into fall. August’s publishing lineup is stacked this year and I think BOTM has some incredible options to choose from.
Whether or not these are actually picks, only time will tell. Even if they are not all or most of these are on my August Most Anticipated New Releases list, which you can see HERE! When the picks are announced and you find you have space in your box still, make sure to also check out my most recent version of BOTM Add-On recommendations HERE!
Fall Most Anticipated List | SUMMER MOST ANTICIPATED LIST
August Most Anticipated List | JULY MOST ANTICIPATED LIST
BOTM ADD-ON GUIDE
Keep in mind that these are simply predictions and books I hope get chosen. I could get these completely wrong but the anticipated and guessing is part of the fun right?!
Mysteries & Thrillers
BOTM loves a Riley Sager pick and The Unknown feels like exactly the kind of atmospheric thriller they’d lead with this month and I’m actually really feeling this on. An unsolved mystery from a century ago, a Vermont island, a seance, and women vanishing? That’s a BOTM cover reveal waiting to happen. The Five of Us by Sian Gilbert is another one I’m watching since BOTM has picked her before and tends to go back to authors their members already love. The Camino by Anya Niewierra caught my eye as a potential debut pick. There’s something about a thriller set on the pilgrimage trail that feels fresh. And Time to Burn by Ellery Lloyd rounds out the thriller options with a time-travel twist that could give BOTM something a little different in the genre this month.
Romance
The Fall Affair by Vi Keeland feels like the safest bet here since BOTM has featured her before and she always delivers something their romance readers can count on. Camp People by Liz Vidulich is the one I’m personally hoping for. I haven’t read it yet but the premise has that fun, high-concept energy BOTM loves for their summer romance slot. And The Treasure House by Amy Matthews could be the sleeper pick if they want to go with something that’s a little more heartfelt and less predictable. I think they pick one of these three and call it a day.
Historical Fiction
The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller gives BOTM their historical fiction pick with what sounds like a sweeping, character-driven story that their bookclub readers will gravitate toward. And Hocus Pocus by Brinda Charry is the wildcard: historical fiction with a magic angle could land here or in the fantasy slot depending on how BOTM wants to play it. Either way I think at least one of these makes the box since BOTM always tries to include a historical option.
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay is the one I’m most excited about in this category: a spell gone wrong, dual realities, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft woven in? That premise is doing a LOT of heavy lifting and I think BOTM would be smart to grab it. Siren Says by Jennifer Michelle Herrera could be their more accessible fantasy pick and The Paradox Club by Charlie Lovett gives them a genre-bending option if they want something that straddles sci-fi and literary and it’s a book that I can’t wait to read. I’d put my money on Portrait of a Witch making the box but honestly any of these three would be a solid choice.
Contemporary & Literary Fiction
Okay so normally this is the category I struggle with the most for predictions and this month I apparently have SEVEN options I think could make it. Who even am I!
The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters and Solstice by Carol Gilligan both have that quiet literary weight BOTM likes to balance out their buzzier picks. A Very Special Episode by Camille Acker and All That Is Left of Life by Roberta Recchia feel like they could land as the “this one will surprise you” pick of the month. Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty and Breathing Under Water by Jacqueline Friedland are both on my radar as strong contenders for the “book your bookclub will argue about” slot. And Counting the Days by Laura Chinn has debut energy that BOTM loves to champion. I genuinely think they could pick any two or three from this list and the box would be stacked. This is the strongest fiction month I’ve seen in a while.
I hope you found a book that you are truly excited about in this post. Let me know which other new releases you are excited for this month or that you’re hoping are BOTM picks, by commenting below or by messaging me on Instagram @speakingof_books. Don’t forget to follow me to get weekly updates and new reviews!
Happy Reading!
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