The Best New August 2025 Book Releases to Read Soon
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Ready to discover your next literary obsession? Explore the hottest August 2025 book releases, including my top picks and the most talked-about titles of the month.
It’s always exciting to start a new month, especially when you get to plan out your reading list! There are some fantastic books coming out soon, ranging from romantic novels to popular New York Times bestsellers, thought-provoking coming-of-age stories, and gripping historical fiction novels.
With so many new books being published every month, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones to include in your reading list. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
Every month, I’ll highlight some of the most exciting upcoming releases that you should remember. As an eclectic reader, I balance my reading list and recommendations with a mix of genres from both established and debut authors to give you the best and most varied reading experience possible. So, I’m confident that you’ll find something you’ll love on this list.
Happy Reading!
If you’re looking for all the upcoming books, take a look at
Best August 2025 Book Releases
Forget Me Not
by Stacy Willingham
Thrilller
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Haunted by her sister’s disappearance, Claire takes a summer job at a vineyard near her childhood home. There, she finds a mysterious diary that hints at long-buried crimes and possible links to her sister’s case. As the obsession takes hold, what begins as a peaceful summer escape turns into a dangerous search for truth that could cost Claire everything.
For the Record
by Emma Lord
Romance
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze were once rivals—and secret lovers—on the verge of stardom. Now, she hides behind a fake name, and he’s a single dad with a quiet life. Their reunion for a high-stakes comeback album sets the internet—and old wounds—on fire. But as buried truths and betrayals rise to the surface, the tension builds fast.
The Book of Lost Hours
by Hayley Gelfuso
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Two girls, decades apart, are caught in a race to protect forbidden knowledge hidden in a library outside time. Lisavet survives among vanishing memories, hunted by those who want the past erased. Amelia uncovers a secret tied to her missing uncle and a history rewritten by force. Each discovery brings them closer to the truth—and deeper into danger.
Kiss Her Goodbye
by Lisa Gardner
Thriller
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
When refugee Sabera Ahmadi disappears, Frankie Elkin steps in where law enforcement won’t, only to find herself pulled into a deadly game of lies.
A shocking video, a silent husband, and a gifted child with a photographic memory point to a past the family tried to escape. Now, with time running out and a child in danger, Frankie must solve a mystery that spans continents and decades.
The Possession of Alba Díaz
by Isabel Cañas
Horror
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
As plague ravages the city, Alba Díaz escapes to her fiancé’s remote mine—but the horrors she finds there are far more insidious. Tormented by violent fits and haunting visions, she begins to fear that something monstrous is awakening inside her. Elías, her fiancé’s brooding cousin, senses the danger too late. Bound by family secrets, superstition, and a rising desire, the two are pulled into a terrifying fight for Alba’s soul.
Well, Actually
by Mazey Eddings
Romance
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Eva never planned to go viral dragging the ex who ghosted her—especially not when he’s a beloved influencer with millions of fans. Now she’s forced into a public dating scheme where every move is watched, every emotion scrutinized. But what begins as revenge slowly shifts into something more dangerous: trust.
Loved One
by Aisha Muharrar
Literary Fiction
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
After Gabe’s sudden death, Julia sets out to recover what he left behind—but his last partner stands in her way. Refusing to return a cherished guitar, Elizabeth raises questions Julia can’t ignore. As tension brews between the two women, buried truths and hidden grief begin to surface.
Katabasis
by R.F. Kuang
Sci-Fi & Fiction
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Alice Law is brilliant, obsessive, and willing to risk everything—even a descent into Hell—to save her dead mentor and her own future. But the underworld is no myth, and her only ally is her academic rival, Peter Murdoch, who may be more dangerous than the demons they face. But demons aren’t the only ones hunting them; their pasts hold just as many threats.
We Loved to Run
by Stephanie Reents
Literary Fiction
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
They were the fastest girls on campus—but speed can’t outrun the truth. As the women of Frost College’s cross-country team train for their biggest meet yet, Kristin spirals under the weight of a secret she won’t share. Danielle, the captain, risks everything to save her teammate, even as shadows from her own life creep closer. Each girl carries something they can’t say aloud, and the harder they push, the more fractures appear.
Top Thrillers August 2025
The Dead Husband Cookbook
by Danielle Valentine
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Thea accepts a dream job ghostwriting a famous chef’s memoir—only to find herself isolated at a remote estate full of secrets. As whispers swirl about the chef’s missing husband and other vanished guests, Thea begins to suspect she’s walked straight into a trap. The family is hiding something behind their perfect smiles, and the truth may be buried in more than just the past.
The Locked Ward
by Sarah Pekkanen
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
When Georgia is accused of a brutal murder and locked in a psychiatric ward, her twin sister Amanda returns, unwilling to believe—or ignore—the claims of innocence. But the family they grew up in hides dark truths, and Amanda finds herself spiraling into a maze of lies, betrayals, and deadly games.
Save for Later
The Witch’s Orchard
by Archer Sullivan
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
A missing persons case reopens old wounds when Annie Gore returns to the Appalachian hills she thought she’d left behind. With the locals tight-lipped and folklore whispering of witches, every step deeper feels like a step closer to danger. The town is silent, the woods are watching, and the truth has been hidden for ten long years.
High Season
by Katie Bishop
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
At six years old, Nina testified that her babysitter drowned her sister. Twenty years later, when a new true crime documentary reopens the case, she returns to the French estate where it happened, but haunted by fragmented memories, Nina starts to doubt everything she once believed.
We Are All Guilty Here
by Karin Slaughter
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
Two girls vanish on a holiday night, and the small town of North Falls spirals into suspicion and fear. Officer Emmy Clifton knows she should’ve acted sooner—and now she’s desperate to make things right. As she digs into the girls’ last known steps, long-buried secrets begin to surface. But in a town built on silence, finding the truth could come at a deadly cost.
Too Old For This
by Samantha Downing
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
Lottie Jones buried her past—and the bodies—with careful precision. Now living quietly under a new name, she never expected a knock on the door. A young journalist wants answers, and Lottie knows exactly how to make questions stop. She may be older, but she’s still deadly when cornered. Because once you’ve killed to survive, it never really leaves you.
Top Historical Fictions August 2025
L.A. Women
by Ella Berman
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
In 1960s L.A., two women chase fame through typewriters and secrets, but only one disappears. Now, Lane Warren is spinning their shared story into her comeback—one built on buried truths and the silence of a missing rival. As she relives the wild nights and whispered betrayals of their past, cracks begin to form.
The Last Assignment
by Erika Robuck
Publication Date: August 19, 2025
After disgrace and exile, Dickey Chapelle fights to reclaim her place in the chaos of war, chasing combat zones the world wants to ignore. With nothing but her camera and unshakable resolve, she plunges into the heart of global conflict, where bullets fly and loyalties shift. Each mission threatens her life, but she won’t stop until the story is told.
The Secret Book Society
by Madeline Martin
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
In 1895 London, three women trapped in loveless marriages accept a mysterious invitation to a secret tea. What awaits is a hidden book society run by the elusive and scandal-rumored Lady Duxbury. As Eleanor, Rose, and Lavinia bond over forbidden stories and shared pain, they question the roles they’ve been forced to play.
Most Anticipated August 2025 New Books
Anywhere With You
by Ellie Palmer
Romance
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Charley Beekman is broke, newly divorced, and done believing in lasting love. When her sister announces a sudden elopement, Charley rushes to intervene. She hits the road with Ethan, her unreliable yet magnetic childhood best friend, but their road trip is going to reawaken long-buried feelings and test her guarded heart.
Full Bloom
by Francesca Serritella
Literary Fiction
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
After a brutal breakup and stalled career, Iris Sunnegren feels lost in the shadows of New York City. A mysterious French neighbor offers her a perfume that makes her irresistible—and unstoppable. Seduced by power and male attention, Iris steps into a world of secrets, deals, and deception. But the fragrance stirs more than confidence—it unearths haunting memories and dangerous truths.
Save for Later
The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective
by Jo Nichols
Mystery
Publication Date: August 19, 2025
In a quaint Santa Barbara bungalow community, a group of eccentric tenants lives under the watchful care of their spirited landlady, Mrs. B. Their quiet routines shatter when a new tenant arrives—and a murder follows close behind. When Mrs. B stuns everyone by confessing, her tenants suspect she’s hiding the truth to protect someone, and determined to clear her name, they turn into unlikely detectives.
A Spell to Wake the Dead
by Nicole Lesperance
Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
A spell cast under moonlight leads Mazzy and Nora to a corpse with no hands or teeth. The discovery triggers disturbing visions and a haunting connection to the dead. As the girls uncover a pattern of disappearances, the whispers grow louder—and more dangerous. When another body is found, they realize the killer may be guiding them. And if they’re not careful, they’ll be next.
Reese's Book Club Pick June 2025
Reese’s Book Club is a book club founded by Reese Witherspoon. The club reads one book a month and then discusses it online. All the books are chosen with a wide range of readers in mind. Reese’s Book Club is a great way to get recommendations for books to read and to connect with other readers. Here you’ll find the updated list and know about my favorite picks.
The Phoenix Pencil Company
by Allison King
Historical Fantasy
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
When Monica Tsai connects with a stranger online, a gifted pencil unlocks a hidden piece of her grandmother Yun’s past. As Yun’s memory slips away, Monica begins to uncover a story that began in 1940s Shanghai. There, Yun and her cousin discovered they could reshape lives by rewriting words with enchanted pencils.
Read With Jenna Book Club June 2025
The Read with Jenna Book club is a great way for fans of Jenna Bush Hager to connect with each other and discuss their favorite books. It’s also a great way to discover new authors and learn more about the reading experience. If you’re looking for a way to get more out of your reading, be sure to check out the Read with Jenna Book Club. You won’t regret it!
A Family Matter
by Claire Lynch
Literary Fiction
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
In 1982, Dawn’s life is transformed by an unexpected and consuming love that challenges everything she’s built. Bound by marriage and motherhood, she makes a choice that leaves lasting ripples across generations. Forty years later, Heron faces a devastating diagnosis and struggles to tell Maggie the truth he’s hidden for decades. As buried secrets resurface, a family must confront the past to find a path forward.
GMA Book Club June 2025
Atmosphere
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Literary Fiction
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
Joan Goodwin, a thoughtful astronomy professor, has always been captivated by the stars. When she’s selected for NASA’s Space Shuttle program, her world expands beyond the classroom. Training with a remarkable team, she finds friendship, unexpected love, and a new sense of purpose—until a mission in 1984 alters everything.
Book of the Month June 2025
Book of the Month is perfect if you’re looking for a subscription that will keep you entertained and engaged. They carefully select books from well-known authors and new releases to send to their subscribers. You’re guaranteed to find a great book each month.
So if you’re looking for a great way to get new books each month, Book of the Month is a great option. Try it out today!
The Ghostwriter
by Julie Clark
What Kind of...
by Janelle Brown
The Summer We...
by Audrey Ingram
What books are you most excited about this month? Share your top picks in the comments below and let’s discuss our TBR piles!