11 Most Anticipated Books That Are Being Released This August
Plenty of books come out every month, but August’s lineup stands out for its range and edge. There are stories that play with history, challenge genre boundaries, or follow characters into extreme places — emotionally or literally.
Here are some titles that have generated strong buzz already, and most of them land early enough to finish before summer’s out.
Too Old For This – Samantha Downing
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An aging woman with a fake name and a history of violence tries to stay out of sight — until someone starts digging. In Too Old For This, author Samantha Downing imagines what retirement looks like when you used to be a serial killer.
Katabasis – R.F. Kuang
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Author R.F. Kuang constructs a layered narrative in Katabasis with dark humor, literary allusions, and a setting that mirrors the academic pressure cooker. The only difference is that this one has demons and eternal damnation complicating the thesis work. Alice and Peter are navigating a literal Hellscape built on guilt, ego, and unfinished business.
Accomplice To The Villain – Hannah Nicole Maehrer
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Fantasy readers often see assistants as throwaway characters, but Accomplice to the Villain flips that. Evie works for the most powerful villain in her kingdom — and the job isn’t exactly easy. The story’s focus stays tight: magical office politics, bureaucratic incompetence, and wildly inappropriate workplace crushes.
We Are All Guilty Here – Karin Slaughter
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Karin Slaughter’s 25th novel introduces Officer Emmy Clifton as a missing‑teens investigator in North Falls, Georgia. When two local girls vanish, Emmy uncovers layers of small‑town secrets; everyone knows something they’re hiding. We Are All Guilty Here, scheduled for August 12, 2025, launches a new series based on the fallout when justice arrives too late.
The Locked Ward – Sarah Pekkanen
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If you’re drawn to psychological thrillers that stay grounded and believable, The Locked Ward keeps things direct. Sarah Pekkanen writes with clean, unembellished prose that lets the tension build naturally. The pacing is steady, with short chapters that will urge you to turn pages without forcing twists.
Quicksilver (Deluxe Edition) – Callie Hart
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Limited editions of bestselling romance titles are becoming more common, but Quicksilver has changed the narrative, too. The hardcover includes silver-edged pages, illustrations, and a brand-new scene. This edition comes just months before the sequel, Brimstone, and fans are planning on using it to revisit the plot.
Five Found Dead – Sulari Gentill
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On a journey aboard the Orient Express in Five Found Dead, novelist Joe Penvale anticipates inspiration alongside his twin sister, Meredith. However, they wake up to find their neighboring cabin a crime scene full of blood but missing a body. Strangers become suspects, alliances fracture, and the duo must navigate suspicion and isolation under mounting pressure.
Heads Will Roll – Lish McBride
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One adults-only summer camp turns terrifying when campers begin disappearing. The legend of Knock Knock Nancy — a spirit who takes heads after midnight — starts to feel less like folklore and more like a warning. Instead of endless gore, Heads Will Roll revolves around characters doubting their memories, instincts, and each other.
The End Of The World As We Know It – Edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene
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Stephen King’s The Stand first appeared in 1978 and still gets referenced in pandemic fiction. This month’s new anthology, The End of the World As We Know It, adds fresh stories set in the same universe. The collection includes work by Josh Malerman, Caroline Kepnes, and Paul Tremblay.
Automatic Noodle – Annalee Newitz
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While it is only 200 pages, Automatic Noodle uses its short length well and leaves a lasting impression. This piece, set in 2064, follows a group of food-service robots who reboot in an abandoned kitchen and decide to reopen their noodle shop. Annalee Newitz avoids heavy exposition and keeps the spotlight on community, small acts of defiance, and how bias shapes perception.
The Art Of A Lie – Laura Shepherd-Robinson
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Critics have praised The Art of a Lie for its details about food trade, early law enforcement, and rigid social roles through a widow who runs a struggling sweets shop. The female lead sets out to find the truth behind her husband’s death, which will take you on a historical crime journey.
The Society Of Unknowable Objects – Gareth Brown
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In a London bookshop basement, a small circle guards artifacts no one is meant to understand. Magda, the newest recruit, is sent to Hong Kong to recover one that’s gone missing. The search turns dangerous fast. It first hit shelves on July 31, but many August lists are still calling it new.
This Here Is Love – Princess Joy L. Perry
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What sets apart This Here Is Love is its focus on personal survival and defiance without relying on dramatic turns or simplified lessons. The primary characters are three teens — two enslaved, one indentured — who cross paths in colonial Virginia and form a bond under impossible conditions. Throughout the novel, they’re just trying to live with whatever freedom possible.
Well, Actually – Mazey Eddings
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A viral dating podcast spirals into a public reckoning when the host’s ex offers to prove he’s reformed — live, on-air. Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings takes aim at influencer culture, but without getting cynical. The setup reads like reality TV, but the writing avoids cheap theatrics and considers what happens when individuals commercialize their growth.
Ship Of Dreams – Donna Jones Alward
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Many historical novels highlight big events, but Ship of Dreams stays close to its characters. Hannah boards the Titanic, hoping to save her troubled marriage, while Louisa uses the journey to escape an unwanted future. Their connection grows slowly and is shaped by the shared uncertainty they are experiencing in their lives.