As summer comes to a close and a new season begins, there’s no better moment to dive into a fresh stack of books. The 11 Best New Books to Read in August 2025 offer something for every kind of reader—whether you’re drawn to gripping thrillers, emotional memoirs, heartwarming fiction, or chilling horror. Curated from a wide range of trusted sources, this list showcases some of the most anticipated and buzzworthy titles of the month that you won’t want to miss.
Nonfiction
The Quiet Ear: An Investigation of Missing Sound: A Memoir by Raymond Antrobus
In this poignant memoir, award-winning poet Raymond Antrobus offers a deeply personal exploration of his childhood and identity. Growing up in London, Jamaica, and the US as a half-Jamaican, half-English boy, he recounts his journey of discovering “missing sounds” and being diagnosed as deaf at age seven. Antrobus uses his unique poetic voice to dismantle societal notions of masculinity, race, and disability, creating a powerful narrative that challenges and expands our understanding of the world.
Sci-Fi
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
For fans of cozy sci-fi, Annalee Newitz’s novella is a delightful surprise. Set in a near-future San Francisco rebuilding after a war, the story follows a group of food service bots who take control of their own destiny. They rebrand as a popular lunch spot, serving up the best hand-pulled noodles the neighborhood has ever tasted. Their success is threatened by a persistent “hater” who is review-bombing them, forcing the bots to uncover the saboteur before their venture is destroyed. This charming story is a perfect blend of humor and heart.
Literary Fiction
The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis
Set in 18th-century England, The Hounding is an atmospheric and unsettling tale. The Mansfield sisters have always been seen as peculiar by their neighbors in Little Nettlebed. Their oddness takes a sinister turn when a rumor spreads that one of the sisters transformed into a dog. In a time when belief in witches has faded, the town’s residents still harbor a deep-seated fear of the weird and the unusual. As the Mansfields’ strangeness begins to affect the community, the town must decide how to confront the unsettling presence in their midst.
Romance
Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan
Ashley Jordan’s latest romance novel follows playwright Eve Ambroise as she escapes to the Tennessee mountains after a series of personal setbacks. Her “writing retreat” is a flimsy excuse to start over, but her plan is complicated by a community of concerned locals and her new neighbor, Jamie Gallagher. A recently-divorced single father, Jamie is also trying to rebuild his life. Their initial connection, meant to be a simple, short-term fling, quickly grows into something more serious, forcing Eve to confront her past and the possibility of a real future.
Graphic Novel/Manga
This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux
From an award-winning creative team, This Place Kills Me is a gripping YA graphic novel that blends comics, diary entries, and news articles to unravel a mystery. When Wilberton Academy’s “It Girl” Elizabeth Woodward is found dead, her death is ruled a suicide. However, transfer student Abby Kita, the last person to see Elizabeth alive, believes there is more to the story. Abby knows Elizabeth had secrets, and she is determined to find out if they were dangerous enough to get her killed.
Fantasy
Katabasis by R. F. Kuang
R. F. Kuang returns to the dark academia genre with Katabasis. The story centers on Alice Law, a talented student of Magick who is vying to be the best in her field. When her mentor, the world’s greatest magician Professor Grimes, dies—partially due to her actions—Alice and her rival Peter Murdoch must journey through hell to retrieve him. They employ every spell and pentagram at their disposal, but the question remains whether their combined power will be enough to save him.
Historical Fiction
This Here Is Love by Princess Joy L. Perry
This Here Is Love is a haunting historical novel set in 17th-century Virginia. The lives of three young people—a girl born into slavery, the enslaved son of a freed father, and an indentured servant—converge on a single plot of land. Despite facing horrific circumstances and unimaginable hardship, each must decide how to endure and what their struggles will ultimately make of them. This is a powerful tale of slavery, survival, and the enduring human spirit.
Horror
The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas
From the author of The Hacienda, Isabel Cañas delivers another atmospheric and terrifying tale. In 1765 Zacatecas, Mexico, a plague forces Alba Díaz and her family to flee to an isolated mine. However, something else begins to terrorize Alba: she experiences strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. An angry, cold entity is lurking beneath her skin, its desires growing stronger. Alba’s fiancé’s cousin, Elías, arrives and finds himself drawn to her, even as he witnesses her deteriorating condition.
Mystery, Thriller, or True Crime
The Midnight Shift by Cheon Seon-ran, translated by Gene Png
This genre-bending Korean bestseller is a fast-paced queer vampire murder mystery. When four elderly residents on the sixth floor of a hospital die by suicide, detective Su-Yeon becomes suspicious. Her investigation leads her to the mysterious Wanda, who claims a vampire is responsible. When a fifth victim is found with their body drained of blood, Su-Yeon must confront the farfetched possibility to save her friend, who also lives on the sixth floor. The Midnight Shift is a quirky, trippy story that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Young Adult
Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai
In Songs for Ghosts, Adam discovers an old diary in his attic and finds an immediate connection to the young woman from Nagasaki, Japan who wrote it 100 years ago. However, he finds her stories of being haunted by ghosts hard to believe, until he starts to feel their presence himself. To uncover the truth for both himself and the girl in the diary, Adam takes a homestay in Nagasaki. There, he reconnects with his heritage, discovers family he never knew, and, with the help of a new crush named Jo, attempts to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
Children’s/Middle Grade
The Pink Pajamas: A Story About Love and Loss by Charlene Chua
Charlene Chua’s book offers a tender and accessible way for young children to process grief. A little girl is initially disappointed that her beloved aunt makes her a pair of pajamas in her least favorite color. When her aunt becomes ill and passes away before she can make a new pair, the little girl must navigate her grief. Over time, she comes to cherish the pink pajamas as a treasured reminder of her loved one, learning to find comfort in memories.
Overall, the 11 Best New Books to Read in August 2025 reflect the dynamic range and depth of today’s literary landscape. From breakout debuts to anticipated new works by established authors, this curated selection offers readers both quality and variety. Whether you’re a fan of fiction, nonfiction, or genre-bending narratives, these titles are well worth adding to your reading list this month.