Whether you’re spending your days by the pool or in the office (or bouncing between the two), July’s long, sun-drenched days make you feel like summer will never end. Luckily, there are some great books coming out this month to enjoy as you sit in the shade and drink some water. And! Don’t forget to log all that reading—it’s not too late to sign up for summer reading. All ages can read books and win prizes.
Fiction
Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke
When four influential men are poisoned in an exclusive private club, 22-year-old waitress Katie is arrested for the murders. Five men in her life—her father, her ex-lover, her friend, her lawyer, and a journalist all know a different side of Katie and have differing feelings about her guilt. Told in their alternating perspectives, this twisty and timely thriller allows readers to try and piece together a portrait of who Katie really is—is she someone gripped by conspiracy theories, a grieving sister, a stalker, a murderer or someone else? Each man thinks he knows her, but how well does anyone know someone else? And between their versions of the truth, what actually happened? Available July 15. // Library catalog link here.
Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson
Nera’s father is a ferryman, rowing Chicago’s dead across Lake Michigan to the afterlife. They live in a lighthouse that helps the dead avoid hungry spirits and get to the ferry. But Nera’s dad’s strength is faltering, and the lighthouse is flickering. Then Charlie shows up, she’s living, and chasing a snatch of song written by her dead sister. The living aren’t supposed to be at the lighthouse, but Charlie’s music can keep the light on, and the two women’s relationship slowly grows into something more in this lyrical and bittersweet look at grief and dying. Available July 29. // Library catalog link here.
Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida, translated from Japanese by Bruno Navasky
The Tenderness convenience store has a simple motto, “Caring for people, caring for you.” It’s something the employees take seriously, as the store’s manager, Mr. Shiba, offers empathy with his food. The lives of the employees and customers intertwine and come apart in the same vein as other recent comforting, cozy reads out of Japan such as Before the Coffee Gets Cold and What You Are Looking For is in the Library. Available July 15. // Library catalog link here.
Archive of Unknown Universes by Ruben Reyes Jr.
In a last-ditch effort to save their relationship, Ana invites Luis to accompany her on a research trip to Cuba. There, she uses The Defractor, a device that lets you see alternative versions of your life. Both Ana and Luis have mothers who fled the civil war in El Salvador. The Defractor shows what could have been if the war had played out differently. But in all versions of the past and future, this family saga shows how familial and romantic love can survive across generations and timelines. Available July 1. // Library catalog link here.
Nonfiction
A Marriage at Sea: a True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst
In the early 1970s, Maurice and Maralyn Bailey decided to sail from their home in England across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal, and into the Pacific, heading for New Zealand. Somewhere in the South Pacific, a whale collides with the boat, sinking it. The couple get their emergency supplies onto the life raft where they float for 117 days before a South Korean fishing boat sees and rescues them. A gripping tale of survival, and a touching story of a marriage put to the ultimate test, this book has already won awards and topped the best-seller lists in England. Available July 8. // Library catalog link here.
The CIA Book Club: The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature by Charlie English
At the height of the Cold War, the CIA launched a new program to combat Soviet censorship and hopefully inspire revolution. Ten million copies of banned books dropped from balloons, hid on trains and in luggage, were smuggled in via truck and yachts, and then passed from person to person. These forbidden titles were so popular that dissidents even reproduced them to widen their readership. Everything from fashion magazines to dissident writings were sent. By 1962, over 500 groups behind the Iron Curtain were distributing the books to readers. This gripping and intriguing look at a little-known aspect of the Cold War is a testament to the power of the written word. Available July 1. // Library catalog link here.
Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home by Stephen Starring Grant
At the beginning of the pandemic, Grant is laid off from his marketing job, so he ends up moving back to his hometown of Blacksburg, Virginia and taking a job as a rural mail carrier, mostly for the health insurance. He becomes a lifeline for the community staying at home, delivering needed supplies and often being residents’ only human contact. This charming portrait of his route and fellow postal workers details the good (people leaving hot coffee on cold winter days) to the bad (sticking his hand in a hornet’s nest – postal workers have an on-the-job injury rate nearly three times higher than the average.) Grant also reflects on his changing identity, rural poverty, and coming home. Available July 8. // Library catalog link here.
The Carpool Detectives: a True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies, and One Mysterious Cold Case by Chuck Hogan
Five years ago, four moms met at a school bowling fundraiser. They were all in similar positions, questioning their identity beyond “mother.” Each of them was also passionate about true crime. As the country went into pandemic shutdown, they decided to see if they could solve a local cold case. One of the moms used to be a forensic accountant and with witnesses and crime experts also stuck at home, they had a surprising amount of access. But when they get closer to solving the murder and the district attorney officially reopens the case based on their research, they find themselves in actual danger from those who wanted the case to stay closed. Available July 29. // Library catalog link here.
Middle Grade
The Atlas of Languages: Words Around the World by Rachel Lancashire
Full of maps, language trees, and other infographics, this look at the world’s languages works both with a casual browse and a deep poring over. Readers will learn everything from the source of the word “banana” to how the Manx language was revived. There’s even a chapter on different sign languages around the world. A beautiful introduction to the world’s languages. Available July 22. // Library catalog link here.
Teen
Very Dangerous Things by Lauren Munoz
Every year, Dulce’s school puts on a murder mystery game to test their criminology students, and this year she’s determined to win. Things take a dark turn when the victim is actually murdered and Dulce’s former best friend is the prime suspect. Sierra knows Dulce is the only one who can discover what really happened, and when the body count starts rising, she can’t stay away. This snappy mystery is full of twists and turns for a satisfyingly chilling read. Available July 29. // Library catalog link here.
Jennie Rothschild is a collection engagement librarian for Arlington Public Library.