The Best Paperbacks of July 2025

The latest from former B&N Book Club author Whitaker (We Begin at the End) is set in 1970s Missouri — where the world feels unpredictable and dark. This thriller is as addictive as Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll.

A safe haven is anything but safe in this pulse-pounding story from the author of The Housemaid. This is one breathless ride from start to finish and the twists just keep coming.

From the author who debuted with the brilliant Such A Fun Age comes another incisive and empathetic novel that bandies with real-world themes of race, class and privilege with equal parts wit and heart. With human characters propelling a thick plot, this is a dazzling follow-up for an author worth keeping an eye on.

What if your dream home came with a few loose ends? This terrifying thriller is an unsettling story that’ll put a creak into the floorboards…

When a friendship with an ex-rival grown deeper, sparks fly in this good girl, bad boy hockey romance. If you’re a fan of forbidden love and chemistry that simmers just slow enough, then this might just be the perfect summer read.  

If pet dragons really existed, we would totally want one. Unexpected love blooms in this lighthearted cozy fantasy. Imagine a cute little café where baby dragons hang out, blow smoke and enjoy delicious delights.   

If TJ Klune writes it, we read it — and this one is a real treat. Continuing his bestselling Green Creek series in this story about family mythologies and stepping into your legacy, for better or worse.

If you’re up for a double dose of psychological horror, then these thought-provoking novellas will deliver. Killer on the Road reads like a disturbing stroll through the mind of a serial killer while The Babysitter Lives is a surreal tale with mind-bending twists.

The entirety of the United States in one immensely accessible history, told with panache and inviting readers to dig deeper into the expansive history of this young nation.

If the ocean stirs your soul, this one is for you. This gothic fantasy romance brims with Siren lore and thrilling surprises. A fresh and unique adventure, this story will suck you right in.

In a powerful follow-up to her influential We Want To Do More Than Survive, Dr. Bettina L. Love shows education — whether you have children or not, are an educator or not — as integral to social justice and true democracy. Urgent and stirring, Punished For Dreaming is a book deeply in conversation with The New Jim Crow, Caste, and Poverty By America.

A fraught relationship between two iconic women. You know their names — and their stories — but how well did they know each other?

You’ve heard their songs, admired their impact on history, even swooned over their written words, but… do you know what they were smoking? This is an immensely entertaining exploration of icons puffing the pipe, sipping the sauce and more.

There’s no better way to exercise the brain than Murdle. With all new puzzles and a compelling story along with, it’s prime time to solve another murder!

Sy Montgomery wowed the world with her first octopus book, Soul of an Octopus, and now she returns to the same subject. Utilizing the insights of experts in the field, this is a fresh new look at one of the most fascinating creatures on the planet, all from someone who knows them dearly.

Did you know that sharks have superpowers? You will after reading John Long’s deep dive into one of Earth’s mightiest creatures.

David Attenborough fuels our inspiration to get to know our feathered friends. Taking us along the bird’s wonderfully detailed life journey, this book is a fascinating lens into avian mannerisms, traits and instincts. Informative and fun to read — it doesn’t get any better than this.

A story of light vs. dark, wrong vs. right. Mische’s choice should be simple, but nothing is as it seems in a world of vengeful gods, love and treachery.

Action-packed and full of heart, The Night Ends with Fire is a blazing read that takes us back to ancient China and reimagines one of our favorite legendary heroines.

Get ready for a Wuthering Heights retelling that cranks up the romantic tension. Crafted with stunning lyrical prose, this must-read romantasy brims with sizzling banter, small town secrets and high-stakes supernatural elements.

Dark academia fans: dive into the intricate magic system of this complex fantasy that is not for the faint of heart.

A horror steeped in music. When the world is set to fall to pieces, the 90s punk band with a “devilishly” charismatic front man attempts to save it. Playfully dark, thrilling and reflective — this book is a riot.

Get everything you’ve ever wanted and lounge on borrowed time in Hollywood until it turns you upside down. Danzy Senna’s quick wit and wry voice has the big-heartedness of Dolly Alderton and the sensibility of Sally Rooney; readers of Miranda July’s All Fours and Kiley Reid’s Come and Get It will want to tell all their friends about this smart and sharp tale.

A vast, sweeping tale across humanity, time and history from Elif Shafak. This story of love, grief and hope is great for fans of Richard Powers and Ruth Ozeki.

They’re as clear as words — clearer even — but where did they come from, and how did they get here? Keith Houston’s comprehensive exploration of the evolution of the emoji is a riveting read.