Sunshine Nails

Mai Nguyen

This fun novel about a Vietnamese family is suggested for readers of two previous BOTM selections: Olga Dies Dreaming and The Fortunes of Jaded Women. I read it earlier this week and can see it being a BOTM pick, but I am not fully confident it will be.

Synopsis: A tender, humorous, and page-turning debut about a Vietnamese Canadian family in Toronto who will do whatever it takes to protect their no-frills nail salon after a new high end salon opens up—even if it tears the family apart.

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One Summer in Savannah

Terah Shelton Harris

This debut novel has been blurbed by a few previous BOTM authors. It also combines some popular BOTM themes and takes place in the summer. This is the contemporary fiction book I think is most likely to be a pick.

Synopsis: A compelling debut that glows with bittersweet heart and touching emotion, deeply interrogating questions of family, redemption, and unconditional love in the sweltering summer heat of Savannah, as two people discover what it means to truly forgive.

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Tropicália

Harold Rogers

This debut novel has been blurbed by a handful of past BOTM authors. While the book’s themes seem appropriate for BOTM, having both a male author and male main character makes me hesitant to say we will definitely see this as a pick.

Synopsis: In the heady days before a New Year’s Eve party on the bustling sands of Brazil’s Copacabana Beach, a family reckons with a matriarch’s long-awaited return, causing old secrets to come to light in this infectiously vibrant debut that explores the heartbreak and hope of what it means to be from two homes, two peoples, and two worlds.

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The Freedom Clause

Hannah Sloane

The Freedom Clause has strong early reviews that mention its empowering storyline. In addition, it is blurbed by several past BOTM authors. The synopsis does not sound like the book is a shoe-in BOTM pick, but I think there is a slight chance.

Synopsis: Could one night off a year save a marriage—or destroy it? In this bold and sexy debut, a young couple agrees to open their marriage, but they soon discover that a little freedom has surprising consequences.

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Crook Manifesto

Colston Whitehead

This is the follow up to Harlem Shuffle and return of Ray Carney. Because Harlem Shuffle was a BOTM selection, I think there is a good chance this will be a BOTM selection.

Synopsis: The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of Harlem Shuffle continues his Harlem saga in a powerful and hugely-entertaining novel that summons 1970s New York in all its seedy glory. Crook Manifesto is a darkly funny tale of a city under siege, but also a sneakily searching portrait of the meaning of family. 

Repeat Author

Excavations

Hannah Michell

It seems like it has been awhile since BOTM has ventured into true literary fiction. I think Excavations would be a great pick with a synopsis that appeals to a variety of people. I think there is a chance it will be a July pick.

Synopsis: A former journalist turned stay-at-home mother ventures into the dark underbelly of Seoul, South Korea, to find her missing husband and protect her children in this gripping, page-turning exploration of the lengths one will go to unveil hard truths.

The Majority

Elizabeth L. Silver

I will be honest and say that this book is more of a hope rather than a prediction. It meets several of my criteria for BOTM selection; however, I questions whether BOTM will interpret it as political.

Synopsis: Inspired by history, a riveting novel of love and friendship, motherhood and ambition, and one woman’s fight to be a Supreme Court justice. Set against the vibrant sweep of the 20th century, The Majority brings us into the sacrifices, heartaches, and complex emotional life of a powerful woman ahead of her time, whose life and work turn out to have supreme stakes.

The Connellys of County Down

Tracey Lange

Although BOTM has not worked with Celadon in at least a year, it will be interesting to see if they reunite for The Connellys of County Down (Aug. 8). This is Tracey Lange first book after We Are the Brennans.

Synopsis: When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge, she knows rebuilding her life at thirty years old won’t be easy. With no money and no prospects, she returns home to live with her siblings, who are both busy with their own problems. Her brother, a single dad, struggles with the ongoing effects of a brain injury he sustained years ago, and her sister’s fragile facade of calm and order is cracking under the burden of big secrets. Life becomes even more complicated when the cop who put her in prison keeps showing up unannounced, leaving Tara to wonder what he wants from her now.

Early Release | Repeat Author

Do Tell

Lindsay Lynch

This debut novel gives me Evelyn Hugo vibes without replicate its plot. The book is also blurbed by quite a few past BOTM authors.

Synopsis: As character actress Edie O’Dare finishes the final year of her contract with FWM Studios, the clock is ticking for her to find a new gig after an undistinguished stint in the pictures. She’s long supplemented her income moonlighting for Hollywood’s reigning gossip columnist, providing her with the salacious details of every party and premiere. When an up-and-coming starlet hands her a letter alleging an assault from an A-list actor at a party with Edie and the rest of the industry’s biggest names in attendance, Edie helps get the story into print and sets off a chain of events that will alter the trajectories of everyone involved.

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The Sunset Crowd

Karin Tanabe

Similar to Do Tell, The Sunset Crowd also focuses on Hollywood; however, the era is the 1970s rather than the 1940s. Although this novel has blurbs from a number of past BOTM authors, it does not have the strongest early reviews.

Synopsis: From Rodeo Drive to the French Riviera, Karin Tanabe’s The Sunset Crowd is a tale of survival and reinvention, of faking it until you make it, and the glittering appeal of success and stardom, as it seeks to answer that timeless question―who gets to have the American dream?

The Sea Elephants

Shastri Akella

This debut novel has great early reviews and is compared to a past BOTM selection. While The Sea Elephants has a blurb by a past BOTM author, it also has a male protagonist and sounds very literary, making me doubt its likelihood of being a July pick.

Synopsis: For fans of Shuggie Bain and A Burning, a queer coming-of-age novel set in 1990s India, about a young man who joins a traveling street theater troupe, seeking to outrun the dark secrets of his past.

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King of Armadillos

Wendy Chin-Tanner

This late July release sounds like it would be a great BOTM selection. It is more reminiscent of older BOTM novels, but I am hoping it will be a bit of a surprise pick.

Synopsis: A transcendent debut novel about family, love, and belonging, set against the backdrops of 1950s New York City and a historical leprosarium in Louisiana, following one young man’s quest to not only survive, but live a full and vibrant life.

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The House Keepers

Alex Hay

The House Keepers sounds like a book that would be different from a typical BOTM historical fiction pick, which excites me a bit. It is both a debut novel and blurbed by several previous BOTM authors.

Synopsis: The night of London’s grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs launch a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class.

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Promise

Rachel Eliza Griffiths

Promise focuses on two sisters and sounds like a refreshingly different historical fiction novel. It also happens to be blurbed by a previous BOTM author.

Synopsis: Two Black sisters growing up in small-town New England fight to protect their home, their bodies, and their dreams as the Civil Rights Movement sweeps the nation in this magical, magnificent novel.

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Alchemy of a Blackbird

Claire McMillan

Alchemy of a Blackbird is a seemingly different take on WWII historical fiction. While I do not think it is a guaranteed BOTM selection, it is blurbed by several past BOTM authors and suggested for fans of The Age of Light, a previous BOTM selection.

Synopsis: A beguiling novel of artistic ambition, perseverance, and friendship based on the true story of the 20th-century painters and tarot devotees Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington. Alchemy of a Blackbird is about a dynamic female friendship that became a historic artistic collaboration between two giants of the art world.

Hello Stranger

Katherine Center

Katherine Center’s last four books have been BOTM selections. I will be very surprised to not see her newest as at least an add-on.

Synopsis: Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life, the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with “probably temporary” face blindness. But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, she falls into―love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?―with not one man but two very different ones.

Repeat Author

You, with a View

Jessica Joyce

This debut novel has stellar early reviews. In fact, it has one of the highest Goodreads ratings I have ever seen. It is also blurbed by past BOTM authors and being released by a favorite BOTM publisher.

Synopsis: Two high school enemies must reunite for a road trip inspired by their grandparents’ broken engagement in this electric debut romance.

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Wanderlust

Elle Everhart

This debut has an interesting and fun concept. While it is not blurbed by any BOTM authors, it is from a publisher BOTM sometimes works with and is compared to People We Meet on Vacation.

Synopsis: Feeling stuck at work and tired of London’s dreary weather, magazine writer Dylan Coughlan impulsively rings a radio station one day only to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip around the world. The catch? Her travel partner must be a contact randomly selected on her phone. And of course this stressful game of contact roulette lands on a number listed only as Jack the Posho, an uptight, unbearably posh guy she met on a night out and accidentally ghosted.

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Good Fortune

C.K. Chau

Good Fortune is probably the least likely of the four romance novels. It is a retelling, which BOTM sometimes loves, and is blurbed by one past BOTM author. However, it is being published by an imprint that BOTM does not frequently work with.

Synopsis: A whip-smart and charming debut novel that brilliantly reimagines Pride and Prejudice, set in contemporary Chinatown, exploring contemporary issues of class divides, family ties, cultural identity, and the pleasures and frustrations that come with falling in love.

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Dark Corners

Megan Goldin

The BOTM app word scrambles seemingly point to this book being a selection. Considering that it is a follow-up to The Night Swim, I think that is a solid guess.

Synopsis: Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed The Night Swim, returns to search for a popular influencer who disappears after visiting a suspected serial killer.

Repeat Author

Goodbye Earl

Leesa Cross-Smith

One of Leesa Cross-Smith’s previous novels was a BOTM selection, although it was not a thriller. If this book is good, I think there is a chance it will be a BOTM selection. You cannot deny the title alone will appeal to Millennial BOTM members.

Synopsis: Taking inspiration from the infamous, empowering song, Goodbye Earl follows four best friends through two unforgettable summers, fifteen years apart. In this celebration of enduring sisterhood, four women take fate into their own hands in this story of friendship, resilience, and revenge on monstrous men, from the award-winning author of This Close to Okay. 

Repeat Author

A Likeable Woman

May Cobb

May Cobb’s debut novel was a BOTM selection, while her sophomore book was not. I think there is a chance A Likeable Woman could be a selection, especially since I have heard that it is a deviation from her previous thrillers.

Synopsis: Kira’s back in her affluent hometown for the first time in years and determined to unravel the secrets of her mother’s death–hidden in the unpublished memoir she left behind– even if it kills her. . .

Repeat Author

Strange Sally Diamond

Liz Nugent

With almost 8k Goodreads ratings, Strange Sally Diamond has 4.37 stars. Previously released across the pond, this book is now going to be released in the U.S. Between its popularity abroad and its American publisher, I think there is a chance this will grace blue boxes in July.

Synopsis: The internationally bestselling author of Lying in Wait returns with a wickedly dark, twisted, and brilliantly observed new novel about an enigmatic woman confronting her unknown past.

Windfall

Wendy Corsi Staub

This novel about a group of friends is recommended for fans of Taylor Adam’s No Exit and The Club by Ellery Lloyd. While No Exit was a BOTM pick, The Club was not despite Ellery Lloyd being a past BOTM author. Between the premise and comparisons, I think Windfall may be a selection.

Synopsis: When the three reunite for a birthday weekend in Las Vegas, the lottery ticket they buy on a whim has the winning numbers—giving them a billion-dollar windfall. Shellshocked, the trio travels to a secluded California mansion to meet with a “sudden wealth manager.” Their weekend turns to terror when they discover they are trapped and one of them goes missing.

Everyone Here Is Lying

Shari Lapena

BOTM has selected a couple of Shari Lapena’s books previously but not every release. It will be interesting to see whether they pick this one.

Synopsis: William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper. Hours later, Avery’s family declares her missing. 

Repeat Author

None of This Is True

Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell is a tried and true BOTM author. None of This Is True will be published on August 8, but there is a chance that the app hints are about it.

Synopsis: Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Early Release | Repeat Author

Good Bad Girl

Alice Feeney

Alice Feeney is another author whose books are often BOTM selections. BOTM has also featured her books as early releases; so this one may be a selection this month, despite its late August publication date.

Synopsis: Twenty years after a baby is stolen from a stroller, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.

Early Release | Repeat Author

The Woods Are Waiting

Katherine Greene

This debut novel is compared to Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware, who both are repeat BOTM authors. I also think the synopsis encompasses some favorite BOTM themes; however, its supernatural elements may deter the BOTM editors.

Synopsis: Katherine Greene’s debut novel is a dark descent into the sinister traditions and customs of a small town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. No superstition will prepare childhood friends Cheyenne and Natalie for the macabre truth that awaits them.

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A Good House for Children

Kate Collins

This mysterious supernatural debut novel is compared to Mexican Gothic and from a frequent BOTM publisher.

Synopsis: A feminist gothic tale perfectly suited for the current moment, A Good House for Children combines an atmospheric mystery spanning decades with resonant themes of motherhood, madness, and the value of a woman’s work.

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Silver Nitrate

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Several of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s past novels were BOTM selections, although her last one was not. Since it seems BOTM has moved away from the author, I am not confident Silver Nitrate will be a pick.

Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film—and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.

Repeat Author

One of the Boys

Jayne Cowie

This book about two sisters is published by one of BOTM’s favorite publishers. Although it is dystopian, I think One of the Boys would appeal to BOTM members.

Synopsis: If you could test your son for a gene that predicts violence, would you do it? From the author of Curfew comes a suspenseful, heart-wrenching novel about the consequences of your answer.

The Carnivale of Curiosities

Amiee Gibbs

While this book does not scream obvious BOTM selection, it is suggested that it is perfect for readers of V. E. Schwab​’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Synopsis: A dazzling gothic tale of Faustian bargains, jealousy, and murder set in a spectacular circus, where star-crossed lovers’ destinies are forged at an unexpected price.

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Immortal Longings

Chloe Gong

Several of Chloe Gong’s previous YA novels have been selections. This is her adult debut and the first in an upcoming series. It will be interesting to see if it will be a pick.

Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling YA author Chloe Gong’s adult epic fantasy debut, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, is a fiery collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.

Repeat Author

The Sun and the Void

Gabriela Romero Lacruz

This debut novel seems like it has a shot at being a selection, but I am a bit skeptical it will be.

Synopsis: Two women embark on a unforgettable quest that draws them into a world of dark gods and ancient magic in this sweeping fantasy debut inspired by the history and folklore of colonial South America.

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Jezebel

Megan Barnard

From what I recall, BOTM has not had any mythology or historical retellings as main selections this year. Although I am hesitant to include it due to its imprint, I think it would make a popular BOTM selection.

Synopsis: With a bold voice reminiscent of Madeline Miller’s Circe, a stunning reimagining of the story of a fierce princess from Tyre and her infamous legacy. When Jezebel learns she can’t be a king like her father simply because she’s a girl, she vows never to become someone’s decorative wife, nameless and lost to history. At 15, she’s married off, despite her protests, to Prince Ahab of Israel. There, she does what she must to gain power and remake the dry and distant kingdom in the image of her beloved, prosperous homeland of Tyre. As her initiatives usher in an era of prosperity for Israel, her new subjects love her, and her name rings through the land.

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Horses of Fire

A.D. Rhine

This is another debut novel with a take on mythology. Based upon its imprint, I think it may be slightly more likely than Jezebel to be a BOTM selection.

Synopsis: Behind the timeless tale you know is the captivating story you never heard: a sweeping epic in which Troy’s strong, yet misunderstood women take center stage in the most famous war in history.

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