Wondering what to read now? If you’re looking for book suggestions, look no further! Here are all the hot new July 2019 book releases for you. I’ll let you know what I’ve read, what I can’t wait to read, and what’s getting all the attention this month.
California, here I come!
Next week my family is headed to the California coast for some fun in the sun. Beaches, sailing and a drive up the coast are all on the itinerary. As is plenty of reading.
Whenever I travel, I can’t help by pause at the bookstores in the airport. There is something so alluring about reading a brand new release on a flight. If you happen to pass by a bookstore while on vacation this month, here are all the hot new July 2019 book releases you’ll see gracing the bookstore displays.
The highlights of the month:
- Plenty of delicious thrillers perfect for a plane ride
- A light-hearted rom com to curl up with poolside
- Historical fiction – both light and serious
- The next book in a must-read science fiction series
Have I got you interested? Then keep scrolling to see our picks for the best of the July 2019 book releases.
July 2019 Book Releases – Advance Review Copies
Never Have I Ever
Joshilyn Jackson
You know the game. Never have I ever kissed a boy or gone skinny dipping. But when the mysterious Roux shows up to the neighborhood book club, the game takes a sinister turn. Now Amy Whey’s whole life feels threatened. For Amy has a secret past, one that Roux is willing to blackmail her over. But two can play at this game. A deliciously fun summer read that kept me guessing until the end (which I did not expect).
I received a complimentary copy of this book from William Morrow through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
Abbi Waxman
Calling all bookworms! I have the perfect summer book for you. Twenty-nine year old Nina Hill has the perfect little life. She loves her job at the local California bookstore, her friends on her trivia team, and her bookshelves full of books to read. When her absentee father dies, Nina discovers she has a whole slew of relatives she never knew she had and is not sure she wants. Add in a cute guy interested in her, and Nina’s quiet bookish life will never be the same. A super light read with a love story that’s not a romance novel, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill will speak to all those introverted bookworms out there trying to survive in a world full of people. Don’t expect too much in the way of character development, just a cute little plot that you could easily see on the Hallmark channel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Wanderers
Chuck Wendig
Note to self: when requesting new book releases, be sure to check page counts. Topping out at a whopping 800 pages, Wanderers is a book I probably would not have requested has I known how long it was. Shana wakes up one morning to her sister sleepwalking. She cannot be woken or stopped. She seems to be on a mission, and is slowly joined by others. As society starts collapsing around the spreading epidemic, Chuck Wendig paints a tantalizing picture of the end of the world. Given its extreme length, I’m not finished with this one yet, but I can tell you it’s starting out really well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Del Rey and through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Wilder Girls
Rory Power
I honestly tried so hard to finish this book, but I could not force myself to read another chapter. The premise sounded intriguing: a girls school quarantined on an island in Maine after a deadly virus called The Tox. When her best friend goes missing, Hetty must risk breaking quarantine to find her. Other readers described the transformations caused by The Tox as horrifying and compared the story to Lord of the Flies. However, I found it all just too strange. The disease didn’t make any sense. The girls weren’t on their own à la Lord of the Flies but organized by adults. Add in a poorly done teenage romantic plot (albeit between two girls), and I had to give up. If you love YA horror, maybe you’ll love it like all the other reviews I’ve read. Else I suggest skipping this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Delacorte Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book of the Month -June 2019 Book Releases
I just joined The Book of the Month Club this year, and I’m so excited to start getting books every month.
Here’s how it works – each month, they pick 5 books and you get to choose one book. If you want to add any extra books, then you get them at a discounted price. Each month is usually a mix of new releases and advance copies of unreleased books.
Join Book of the Month and get a discount on your first book!
The Golden Hour
Beatriz Williams
After hitting it big last summer with The Summer Wives, Beatriz Williams is back with a new World War II historical fiction novel, selected by Book of the Month in their June selections.After abdicating the throne of England, Edward, now Duke of Windsor, married the scandalous socialite Wallis and was sent off to spend the war as governor of the Bahamas. Wanting a scoop for her society magazine, journalist Lulu Randolph infiltrates the Duke and Duchesses inner circle only to fall in love with the charming scientist Benedict Thorpe. When Nassau’s wealthiest man is murdered and Thorpe disappears, Lulu must follow a trail of shifting alliances, spies and traitors to discover the truth.
The Gifted School
Bruce Holsinger
In Crystal, Colorado, one unexpected even will throw the community into chaos – the opening of a new exclusive school for gifted children. Now four families who have been friends for a decade will succumb to their own competitiveness, going to great lengths to ensure their child get’s admitted to the gifted school. A sharp look at the darker side of modern suburban life in America, The Gifted School feels incredibly timely given the recent college admissions scandal.
Lock Every Door
Riley Sager
If you like thrillers, July seems to be your month! Book of the Month picked well-known author Riley Sager’s latest thriller in their July selections. His latest novel takes place at Manhattan’s high-profile but mysterious building, The Bartholomew. After a recent breakup, Jules Larsen accepts a house sitting job there. Her conditions: she can’t have visitors, must stay at the apartment every night, and must leave the neighbors alone. When another house sitter disappears, Jules begins to wonder if the ghost stories about The Bartholomew are all too real, and if she might be next. Fans of Riley Sager are sure to be pleased with his latest release.
The Most Anticipated July 2019 Book Releases
The Nickel Boys
Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad, is definitely sitting at the top of our most-anticipated July 2019 book releases with his new novel. Set in Jim Crow-era Florida, one innocent mistake sends young Elwood Curtis to a juvenile reformatory school, The Nickel Academy. There Elwood and other black youth meet with horrid abuse, both physical and sexual. Based on actual Florida reform schools, The Nickel Boys reveals an awful part of US history, forcing you to acknowledge the horror of the past and ponder how it affects the present.
Dark Age
Pierce Brown
If you haven’t tried Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series yet, now’s the time. A mix between The Hunger Games and Ender’s Game, Red Rising introduced us to a highly segregated society on Mars. Darrow is born a Red, the lowest caste; but determined to change the caste, he infiltrates the elite Gold caste in hopes to one day be one of the key leaders. In Dark Age, the fifth book in the series, Darrow has been cast out of the Republic he helped create. Now shifting alliances threatens to thrust the once glorious Republic into a new dark age.
Speaking of Summer
Kalisha Buckhanon
One winter night, Summer Spencer vanishes without a trace from her Harlem brownstone. Police find little evidence, and quickly stop investigating her disappearance. But Summer’s twin sister Autumn is determined to find the truth. While keeping up a facade of normalcy, Autumn’s life slowly begins to unravel, obsessing over murdered women and seeking comfort from Summer’s boyfriend. Reviews are mixed for this new book release. It could end up being a dark horse, or just another book that doesn’t live up to its pretty cover.
A Stranger on the Beach
Michele Campbell
If you love a good psychological thriller, we have the perfect pick for you among the July 2019 book releases. At her gorgeous new beach house, Caroline’s marriage is falling apart. After a very public fight, Caroline decides to have a reckless fling with Aiden. She’s seen him occasionally outside the house, so when he turns up as the bartender for her latest party, Caroline thinks he’s the perfect way to take a little revenge on her husband. But Aiden doesn’t seem to understand that to Caroline this was just a passing fling. When her husband goes missing, Caroline finds herself accused of his murder. Reviews are looking good, so I’m excited to ass this summer thriller to my to-read list.
What July 2019 Book Releases are You Most Excited to Read?
What books can you not wait to get your hands on this month? Did I miss any July 2019 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases: