Our Most Anticipated Books of August 2023

Ann Patchett, author of Commonwealth, returns with a tender story about the lives parents live before their children exist. Tom Lake is a moving portrait of the way love reverberates through generations. Pick up our exclusive edition for a bonus acknowledgements section and stay tuned for a Poured Over podcast with Ann Patchett to discuss Tom Lake.   

For fans of Lorrie Moore’s I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home and Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, The Apology is part ghost story and part family drama as one centenarian reckons with the sacrifices she made for her family — the very ones that threw it into chaos. Jimin Han joins us on our Poured Over podcast in August for a discussion about her remarkable tale of love, loyalty and sisterhood. 

In a novel with all the heart and soul of Deacon King Kong and National Book Award-winner The Good Lord Bird, James McBride tells of the unexpected camaraderie found at the margins of American life, and the protective power of community. James McBride joins us on our Poured Over podcast this month to discuss The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. 

Elizabeth Acevedo, winner of the National Book Award for The Poet X, makes her adult debut with Family Lore. A living wake, magical gifts and family secrets — Acevedo’s latest is an absolute treat, a vivid portrait of family, and a must-read for fans of Julia Alvarez and Jacqueline Woodson. She’s stopping by our Poured Over podcast next month to discuss Family Lore with us. 

Based on a true story, Learned by Heart is a moving love story about two girls in 19^th century York who fall in love at boarding school. Emma Donoghue joins us on our Poured Over podcast next month to discuss this heart-shattering read. 

From the author of the beloved, bestselling Practical Magic series comes a bewitching love letter to the magic of books. Mia grew up in an oppressive cult that considered books evil, but when she discovers Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, she falls in love with the book and its author. At its core, The Invisible Hour showcases Alice Hoffman’s ability to take readers on an imaginative journey into the impossible.   

What if Romeo and Juliet’s story didn’t end with Juliet’s death? Evelyn Skye reimagines the Shakespearean Tragedy in Hundred Loves of Juliet where Romeo follows his Juliet from lifetime to lifetime. No matter where, when or what names they go by, the two are drawn together before tragedy strikes, even though they both hope for a happy ending.  A fresh reimagining of the classic tale, this novel is perfect for fans of In Five Years and Nocturne. 

From the author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers comes a rivals-to-lovers romance perfect for fans of Just My Type and The Ex Talk. Two coworkers compete to present the best idea to bring in more revenue for Cold World — a winter wonderland for tourists in the middle of Orlando, Florida. With Love, From Cold World is the perfect book to cool down your summer, and our exclusive edition features an alternate cover color and an essay from Alicia Thompson about the Paramore song that inspired the title.   

Isabel Cañas, author of The Hacienda — one of our former Discover Picks — returns with a supernatural western centered around the Mexican War.  The Vampires of El Norte is a genre-bending tale that weaves Mexican history and culture with romance and monsters. Stay tuned for Isabel Cañas’ discussion about The Vampires of El Norte, The Hacienda and more on our Poured Over podcast next month. 

The next installment of B&N favorite TJ Klune’s Green Creek series is here, and our exclusive edition includes the next installment of the story that spans all four books in the series as well as specially designed endpapers and foil stamping. Ravensong is a story of love and betrayal, second chances and forgiveness.  

Helen Macdonald (bestselling author of H is for Hawk) teams up with first time author Sin Blaché in a spectacular sci-fi debut. In a universe similar to our own, a mysterious death and the appearance of an American diner in the middle of a foggy field in the UK sets off an investigation. A sharp and fast-paced novel, Prophet is an exhilarating tale that’s part spy story, part romance and part dystopian. Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché join us on our Poured Over Podcast next month for a discussion about Prophet. 

Kiersten White returns with a spine-tingling novel of nostalgia and fandom that is perfect for anyone who enjoyed Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano or Burn the Negative by Josh Winning. A children’s program with a cult following + former cast members trying to escape their shared past = a horrifying tale of what lies under the surface of memories, Mister Magic will give readers nightmares in a good way. 

Turn into Frankenstein and build a monstrous TBR list with 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered. This selection of modern horror novels completes each recommendation by including a full synopsis and an overview of the book’s themes, style and tone. This essential illustrated guide is a screamingly good choice for any reader looking to send shivers up their spine.   

A follow up to The Cold Cold Ground, Adrian McKinty takes us to Belfast in the 1990s to solve a missing persons case. A fifteen-year-old girl goes missing, and Sean Duffy is on the case. His search leads to unsettling discoveries that put the lives of everyone he cares about at risk. Sean Duffy is an unforgettable character from the author of The Chain, one of our former Mystery/Thriller Picks, so stay tuned for a Poured Over Podcast with Adrian McKinty to discuss The Detective Up Late.  

Catherine Ryan Howard’s 56 Days is a former B&N Mystery/Thriller Monthly Pick selection, and her newest draws us for the same reason: these stories are told with matching narrative urgency. Part-police procedural, part-psychological thriller, The Trap will keep you guessing until the final page.  

Rachel Harrison, author of Cackle and Such Sharp Teeth, describes Delicate Condition as “A frightening, propulsive read brimming with brutal truths about motherhood, autonomy and the everyday horror of not being believed.” A woman trying to get pregnant is convinced someone is working against her in this unflinching story that tackles sexism in modern medicine that puts a feminist twist on the classic horror Rosemary’s Baby. 

Girl, Interrupted meets I’m Glad My Mom Died in Alice Carrière’s memoir — a raw exploration of the connection between family trauma and mental health and the way it’s impacted by fame and wealth. Chronicling Alice’s coming-of-age and her struggle with dissociative disorder, Everything/Nothing/Someone is the stunning story of her ability to reclaim her body and find love. Stay tuned for a Poured Over Podcast with Alice Carrière to discuss Everything/Nothing/Someone. 

From the bestselling author of The Wave and Devil’s Teeth comes a thrilling adventure that leads us into the depths of our planet. Cutting-edge technologies give us the opportunity to grow our understanding of the extensive ecosystem in the deep ocean, and Susan Casey takes us through the history of ocean exploration, bringing the complexity and importance of the creatures that live in previously unexplored realms. The Underworld will leave you awestruck while serving as a powerful reminder of the threats of climate change. Stay tuned for a Poured Over Podcast with Susan Casey to discuss The Underworld. 

The New York Times bestselling author of Extraterrestrial expands on his theory of the presence of alien life in Interstellar. Here, Avi Loeb presents a compelling case to reset cultural understanding of extraterrestrial objects and to prepare for contact, navigating physics, philosophy and new science to raise key questions for humanity to consider in preparation of our discovery of alien life.  

Two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Jill Lepore changed the way we see American history in her bestselling book These Truths; her latest, The Deadline, is an incisive collection of essays that put her extraordinary range and style on full display. From the political to the personal, Lepore turns a sharp (and empathetic) eye to our contemporary America. She joins us on our Poured Over podcast in August for a discussion about The Deadline.  

Perfect for fans of Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection, acclaimed British professor Thomas Curran encourages us all to let go of our perfectionism in the pursuit of our goals. Empowering us to focus on what matters most, The Perfection Trap is a poignant and reassuring book about being good enough in the face of impossible standards.