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Get Lit’s Favorite New August 2019 Fiction

by  | August 2

We’re not ready to admit that August is here and that means summer’s end is inching ever closer. So join us in our denial and dive into these reads! Whether you’re bringing them to a beach, reading in a cozy coffee shop, or ignoring your seatmate on a plane, here are August’s newest books to enjoy!

The Winemaker's Wife

The Winemaker's Wife

by Kristin Harmel

Heather’s Pick #1:

Why choose between history, romance, drama, and suspense when you can have them all in one? Kristin Harmel’s new World War II women’s fiction novel, The Winemaker’s Wife, delivers the goods with a story that straddles two different, equally fascinating, times. In 1940, in Champagne, France, new bride Inès has just become the mistress of Maison Chauveau and its champagne vineyards, which is also home to their chef and his half-Jewish wife, Céline. When the Germans attack, the two women must depend on each other. Almost 80 years later, in 2019, newly divorced Liv travels from New York to France at her grandmother’s curiously insistent behest…. Just wait until you see how it all connects.

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The Right Swipe

The Right Swipe

by Alisha Rai

Heather’s Pick #2:

All’s fair in love and dating apps! Alisha Rai’s rom-com The Right Swipe—the first in a new series called Modern Love—introduces us to Rhiannon and Samson, rival dating app creators with a messy personal history. See, before they were professional adversaries, they shared a romantic night together. At least, Rhi thought they did, right up until the former pro-football player ghosted her. Who could blame her for being incredibly suspicious when Samson pops back into her life as a potential competitor at work? If only she could forget about him, and if only he weren’t seriously tempting her to give him another chance…. A steamy read that also gets real about dating? Sign me up!

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The Turn of the Key

The Turn of the Key

by Ruth Ware

Sienna’s Pick #1:

I’m a big fan of Ruth Ware’s thrillers—I’ve read every one of her books—so of course I couldn’t wait to get my hands on what I think is her best novel yet, The Turn of the Key! This book has everything: a “smart home” set in the middle of nowhere with malfunctioning technology that may be possessed; family secrets and lies galore; bad-seed kids; a potentially unreliable narrator who is in prison and was the nanny of the bad-seed kids and is accused of murdering one of them (but she says she didn’t do it!); and a sexy, but possibly sketchy, handyman.

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Going Dutch

Going Dutch

by James Gregor

Sienna’s Pick #2:

I met my husband on Match.com 16 years ago, when people used to lie about meeting online, so I love that digital romance is now so mainstream that there are novels about the complexities of dating  in the age of swipes and likes. Going Dutch tells the story of Richard, a graduate student who is struggling academically and failing at navigating the gay dating scene. One of his classmates, Anne, offers to help Richard with his papers in exchange for dating him, even though he’s not heterosexual. Things get more complicated when a one-night stand with a successful lawyer becomes more serious, because Richard has trouble separating himself from Anne and her lifestyle. I can’t wait to read this debut!

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We Are All Good People Here

We Are All Good People Here

by Susan Rebecca White

Sienna’s Pick #3:

I love novels about female friendships that span decades. We Are All Good People Here tells the story of college roommates in the early 1960s who come from very different backgrounds but form a bond that lasts more than thirty years. Eve is Southern and comes from old money, while Daniella is from D.C. and grew up in a household with a Jewish father and a Christian mother. Their experiences with racial prejudice and religious bigotry at a small Southern college are the catalyst for their life-changing worldviews. Eve becomes a radical activist, causing a wedge in their friendship. A tragedy causes her to make yet another lifestyle shift, one that is associated with hiding significant and tragic parts of her past and requires help from Daniella. As these secrets threaten to surface years later, Eve’s and Daniella’s daughters themselves face an uncertain future.

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Love at First Like

Love at First Like

by Hannah Orenstein

Saimah’s Pick:

Searching for another quick read to add to your summer TBR? Hannah Orenstein’s sophomore novel, Love at First Like, is the perfect vacay read! Eliza Roth leads her 100K Instagram followers to believe she is engaged after she accidentally posts a photo of herself wearing a diamond ring on that special finger. ?Before she knows it, the story of her engagement gets press attention for the jewelry shop that she co-owns with her sister. When they see sales skyrocket, Eliza realizes she has a choice to make—come clean about the miscommunication or find a fake fiancé to keep up the ruse.

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On the Corner of Love and Hate

On the Corner of Love and Hate

by Nina Bocci

Molly’s Pick:

Emma Peroni firmly believes her colleague and (former) friend Cooper Endicott is the best choice to succeed her father as the mayor in their small hometown of Hope Lake, Pennsylvania. But running his election campaign, as Cooper and her father have suggested, may be a step too far—one that threatens to resurface old feelings and compromise the boundaries Emma’s put in place to survive working so close to him these past few years. What unravels in Nina Bocci’s On the Corner of Love and Hate is a really sweet and slow-burning romance between two whip-smart and passionate characters. I’m not exaggerating when I say I read this book in one day. Bocci does an incredible job building a world around Emma and Cooper, too—their group of friends and neighbors are delightful and familiar to anyone from a charming small town. I’m so excited that this is the first book in a series, and that I’ll be returning to Hope Lake in the near future.

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Tidelands

Tidelands

by Philippa Gregory

Maddie’s Pick:

Strong female characters set against the backdrop of the misty tidelands during a time of civil unrest and growing superstitions? Sign me up! Tidelands has all that and more. As a longtime fan of Philippa Gregory and historical fiction, Tidelands is my newest obsession. There are turncoat kings and defiant members of Parliament clashing in England to be sure, but this story, set in the seventeenth century, follows Alinor, a young woman out in the tidelands seeking an escape from her abusive husband. Alinor knows secrets about the marshes, and her ambition marks her as a target during the growing witch craze. If you love Philippa Gregory novels, historical fiction, witch trials, and ambitious female characters, then you need a copy of Tidelands on your bookshelf.

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The Hidden Things

The Hidden Things

by Jamie Mason

Nick’s Pick:

If you’re looking for a page-turning crime thriller read this summer, then look no further! Carly Liddell is fourteen years old when a home-security video of her fighting off a vicious attack on her own doorstep goes viral (I know, pretty badass for a fourteen year old kid). Craziest part of the video is that it shows a snippet of a piece of stolen art in Carly’s home from a deal that went horribly wrong. Make sure that when you’re reading this, you’re in an area where it’s all right to scream “HOLY CRAP!” ?

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The Doll Factory

The Doll Factory

by Elizabeth Macneal

Amy’s Pick #1:

In this gothic blend of historical fiction, romance, and thriller, we take to the dark streets of nineteenth-century London and follow Iris, a woman who dreams of being a painter as she and her sister toil away in their mistress’s doll factory. As her dreams slowly begin to become a reality, Iris must grapple with leaving behind those she loves and with a new shadowy presence who grows closer and closer to ripping it all apart. With engaging (and sometimes terrifying) characters, Macneal re-creates the seedy streets of London with a strikingly human vibrancy that will suck you in and dare you to escape from its tension-laced conclusion. Think the London of Sweeney Todd with the romance and tragedy of Les Misérables, and you have this incredible feat of a novel.

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Echoes

Echoes

by Ellen Datlow

Amy’s Pick #2:

In this massive collection of supernatural and spooky tales, Ellen Datlow has brought together the best of the best to delight with a wide range of ghost stories. From literary spookiness to fantasy-fueled chills, this collection really has something for everyone. With all new stories from iconic writers such as Alice Hoffman and Joyce Carol Oates (and 28 more authors, hello!), this is the definitive ghost story collection for modern horror fans. I mean, come on: Honestly, who doesn’t love a good ghost story?

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Do You Dream of Terra-Two?

Do You Dream of Terra-Two?

by Temi Oh

Nicole’s Pick:

Have you ever imagined what might happen if Earth started dying? What would that mean for our world? That’s the plight facing a crew of 10 astronauts (four veterans and six newly graduated teenagers) as they embark on a 23-year journey to a new Earth-like planet in Do You Dream of Terra-Two? This story is told alternately from the perspectives of the six teens, who have spent their entire educational career training for this 23-year-long mission. What this is not is a typical story about space exploration. What it is instead is a deep character-driven journey that examines the decisions each astronaut makes, why they make them, and who they are as people. Plus, of course, there’s lots of space action mixed in! If you liked The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet or The 100, you’ll want to check this one out.

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Hollow Kingdom

Hollow Kingdom

by Kira Jane

Sara’s Pick #1:

End of the world? Check. Zombies? Check. A sassy but cowardly crow narrator here to save the world? Check. Weirdly specific? Check. S.T. is a domesticated crow who soon finds that his owner and the other humans around him have all succumbed to a case of the walking dead. Along with his human's other pet, a dog named Dennis, S.T. embarks on a quest to save humanity and restore the order of the world. While the premise might sound a bit odd, and the narrative definitely skews toward comedy, there's a lot of heart to be found in this crow's mission of salvation. Epic fights, thrilling chases, and an apocalyptic story told from a fascinating new perspective, Hollow Kingdom manages to be both somber and gleeful in one book you wish would never end.

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The Other's Gold

The Other's Gold

by Elizabeth Ames

Sara’s Pick #2:

Everybody looks back at their youth and cringes at the bad decisions they made, whether it be awkward flirting, bad fashion, or just the worst puns known to man. But what if you made one mistake that changed the trajectory of your life? Such is the fate of college friends and roommates Lainey, Ji Sun, Alice, and Margaret, all of whom commit grievous errors that affect both their lives and their bonds with one another. A character-driven drama at its finest, each woman presents an engaging voice that you can't help but get invested in. The mistake each of them makes gets its own section, and honestly, until you learn everything that happened, it's hard to put this book down. If you're looking for an escape from your sweltering office job, or just need something that'll really spark conversation at your book club, grab yourself a copy this August!

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The Oysterville Sewing Circle

The Oysterville Sewing Circle

by Susan Wiggs

Sara’s Pick #3:

If you've never been part of a sewing, knitting, or crochet circle, then you need to get some crafting supplies and indulge in the amazing camaraderie that comes from the sacred tradition of “stitchin’ and bitchin’.” Or, you could read The Oysterville Sewing Circle to get the same feeling of becoming part of the fabric of a craft circle from the comfort of your favorite reading spot. Caroline Shelby returns to her old hometown in Washington with two adopted kids in tow to find that so much has changed. She only really feels at home when she goes back to her favorite sewing shop and partakes of the company that gathers there to sew and support one another. The dynamic of the group and the secrets each member keeps build a world that will hook you—and the revitalizing effect it has on Caroline will be deeply felt by any crafters out there. A must-read if you need your spirits lifted!

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The Beekeeper of Aleppo

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

by Christy Lefteri

Taylor’s Pick #1:

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is an unforgettable novel of a beekeeper, his wife, and the triumph of spirit when the world becomes unrecognizable. I think this novel is also a beautiful lesson in empathy, as it puts human faces on the Syrian refugee crisis in a way that no newspaper ever could. It belongs on the shelf right next to books such as The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, and Little Bee by Chris Cleave. It’s really that special.

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The Swallows

The Swallows

by Lisa Lutz

Taylor's Pick #2:

This is the fall must-read for anyone who loves psychological suspense and/or campus novels! The Swallows is an amazing revenge novel for modern times that shows us what can happen when an army of girls stand up and says “enough.” Liza Lutz, the bestselling author of The Spellman Files series and The Passenger, delivers an utterly propulsive story filled with powerful characters and setting.

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Photo Credit // Ergita Sela on Unsplash

Categories // Bookish Fun

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