May 19 is another loaded week for book releases. Leading the pack is The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker. Settle in, there’s a lot of books to get through.
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The Ballad of Falling Dragons
Author Sarah A. Parker
Genres Fantasy, Romantasy, Dragons, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Fiction, Fae
Publication Date May 19, 2026
The Ballad of Falling Dragons is the much-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling phenomenon When the Moon Hatched, featuring an immersive, vibrant world with mysterious creatures, a unique magic system, and a love that blazes through the ages.
โMoonbeam. A moonfall is coming.โ
Raeveโs thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegorโa staunch beacon from a past sheโs yet to face. With Rekkโs blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the world will face its most devastating moonfall yet, forcing her to pick a path:
Chase death.
Or life.
Desperate to save his kingdom from ruin, Kaanโs crown has never felt so heavy. His many larks to scattered friends and family remain unanswered, and time is running out.
As allies merge and enemies surge with bloodlusting agendas of their own, secrets brew hot enough to burn, but none so mighty as the truth nesting within the icy depths of Raeveโs long forgotten past.
Something โฆ Other.
Something with the knowledge to change it all.
The Shippers
Author Katherine Center
Genres Contemporary Women Fiction, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.
After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sisterโs destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sisterโs a little busy being a bride at the momentโso JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if sheโs honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJoโs life. Itโs bliss for her to see him again, and itโs agony, tooโand the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she canโt bring herself to ask.
Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romanceโas JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.
No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.
After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sisterโs destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sisterโs a little busy being a bride at the momentโso JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if sheโs honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJoโs life. Itโs bliss for her to see him again, and itโs agony, tooโand the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she canโt bring herself to ask.
Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romanceโas JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.
No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Elsie Silver comes a small-town, forbidden, rivals-to-lovers romance, the first book in the brand-new Western romance series Emerald Lake.
Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. Heโs looking for a paycheck to save his familyโs farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, heโs already decided itโs all one big performance.
Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, sheโs the last woman who should pique his interest.
Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better than to fall for his cocky swagger, broad shoulders, and smoldering good looks. Plus, sheโs sworn off relationships.
But as Julia and Emmett work together, mutual distaste grows into an unexpected connection and thenโฆ something more.
Soon, they find themselves searching for excuses to spend time together and out of reach of the cameras. Knowing glances. Stolen kisses. Secret rendezvous.
Still, Emmett signed up to play the role of an eligible bachelor searching for the one. His familyโs land and legacy depend on him completing the show.
The problem is, heโs already fallen in love.
Just not with a contestant.
Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. Heโs looking for a paycheck to save his familyโs farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, heโs already decided itโs all one big performance.
Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, sheโs the last woman who should pique his interest.
Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better than to fall for his cocky swagger, broad shoulders, and smoldering good looks. Plus, sheโs sworn off relationships.
But as Julia and Emmett work together, mutual distaste grows into an unexpected connection and thenโฆ something more.
Soon, they find themselves searching for excuses to spend time together and out of reach of the cameras. Knowing glances. Stolen kisses. Secret rendezvous.
Still, Emmett signed up to play the role of an eligible bachelor searching for the one. His familyโs land and legacy depend on him completing the show.
The problem is, heโs already fallen in love.
Just not with a contestant.
The Burning Side
Author Sarah Damoff
Genres Multigenerational Fiction, Death, Grief & Bereavement Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From the author of The Bright Years, the story of April and Leo, a couple on the brink of collapse. When their house goes up in flames, family secrets and thorny histories emerge as they are forced to decide what is worth salvaging.
When April and Leoโs house burns in the middle of the night, they escape with their two young children and the quiet knowledge that the fire is not the only thing threatening their family. They retreat to Aprilโs childhood home in Dallas, where her spirited parents and siblings provide both comfort and complication.
As the family reckons with the aftermathโgrief, guilt, logistics, and memories scorched and intactโthe fire exposes the cracks already forming in April and Leoโs marriage. The novel unfolds in alternating perspectives: from April, who feels the crushing weight of motherhood, marriage, and self-blame; from Leo, a high school history teacher shaped by a lonely, fractured childhood; from Deb, Aprilโs generous and no-nonsense mother who has to contend with her husbandโs recent Alzheimerโs diagnosis; and from flashbacks that trace April and Leoโs relationship from its earliest days of connection to the devastating decisions that led them here.
A family saga suffused with humor, longing, and heartbreak, The Burning Side is about what we inherit and what we choose, about forgiveness and the ache of being known. It is, above all, about the meaning of home and the costs of long love.
When April and Leoโs house burns in the middle of the night, they escape with their two young children and the quiet knowledge that the fire is not the only thing threatening their family. They retreat to Aprilโs childhood home in Dallas, where her spirited parents and siblings provide both comfort and complication.
As the family reckons with the aftermathโgrief, guilt, logistics, and memories scorched and intactโthe fire exposes the cracks already forming in April and Leoโs marriage. The novel unfolds in alternating perspectives: from April, who feels the crushing weight of motherhood, marriage, and self-blame; from Leo, a high school history teacher shaped by a lonely, fractured childhood; from Deb, Aprilโs generous and no-nonsense mother who has to contend with her husbandโs recent Alzheimerโs diagnosis; and from flashbacks that trace April and Leoโs relationship from its earliest days of connection to the devastating decisions that led them here.
A family saga suffused with humor, longing, and heartbreak, The Burning Side is about what we inherit and what we choose, about forgiveness and the ache of being known. It is, above all, about the meaning of home and the costs of long love.
The One Day You Were My Husband
Author Rosie Walsh
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Women Fiction, Suspense Thrillers, Contemporary Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From the
New York Times
-bestselling author of
Ghosted
and
The Love of My Life
comes another love story wrapped in a an up-all-night thriller with a dark secret at its core
2010. Carrie and Johan, madly in love, marry on the beach in Thailand, five months into their whirlwind romance. Carrie, a British surgical intern, knows sheโs being uncharacteristically impulsive but is too happy to care. But as the wedding festivities stretch into the night, armed men swarm the beach and arrest Johan for crimes unknown. In police custody, Johan refuses to see or speak to Carrie. She never sees him again.
2022. Carrie is settled in the English countryside with her husband, Robin, and their six-year-old twins. After a difficult entry into motherhood, Carrie has given up her career as a physician and has convinced herself that life as a mother and wife is enough. Until she stumbles across an online post that makes her realize Johan is out of prisonโhas been out for years. As the memories of their intense, passionate relationship return to her, she becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about what happened on that beach all those years agoโeven if that means putting her marriage and family in jeopardy.
And just when Carrie thinks she knows what she must do, a shocking twist confirms the truth found in every Rosie Walsh Everyone has something to hide. The One Day You Were My Husband asks listeners whatโand whomโthey would give up to return to a first love, and to the people they once were.
2010. Carrie and Johan, madly in love, marry on the beach in Thailand, five months into their whirlwind romance. Carrie, a British surgical intern, knows sheโs being uncharacteristically impulsive but is too happy to care. But as the wedding festivities stretch into the night, armed men swarm the beach and arrest Johan for crimes unknown. In police custody, Johan refuses to see or speak to Carrie. She never sees him again.
2022. Carrie is settled in the English countryside with her husband, Robin, and their six-year-old twins. After a difficult entry into motherhood, Carrie has given up her career as a physician and has convinced herself that life as a mother and wife is enough. Until she stumbles across an online post that makes her realize Johan is out of prisonโhas been out for years. As the memories of their intense, passionate relationship return to her, she becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about what happened on that beach all those years agoโeven if that means putting her marriage and family in jeopardy.
And just when Carrie thinks she knows what she must do, a shocking twist confirms the truth found in every Rosie Walsh Everyone has something to hide. The One Day You Were My Husband asks listeners whatโand whomโthey would give up to return to a first love, and to the people they once were.
Little Lies
Author Helena Hunting
Genres Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Romance, New Adult & College Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
My best friendโs younger sister is the bane of my existence. And she just moved in.
The last time I saw her I broke her heart. Shattered it, actually. It had to be done. Iโm the worst person she could end up with. Iโll ruin her if given the chance.
But sheโs not the meek girl I left behind. And sheโs making it impossible to avoid her. Her new favorite pastime is pushing every single one of my buttons.
When she shows up at a pool party wearing a small white bikini and flirts with my team-mates, I'm not sure I'll survive the year. Especially when she looks like every fantasy Iโve ever had.
Sheโs totally off-limits. Completely forbidden. The one woman I canโt have.
And the only woman Iโve ever wanted.
The last time I saw her I broke her heart. Shattered it, actually. It had to be done. Iโm the worst person she could end up with. Iโll ruin her if given the chance.
But sheโs not the meek girl I left behind. And sheโs making it impossible to avoid her. Her new favorite pastime is pushing every single one of my buttons.
When she shows up at a pool party wearing a small white bikini and flirts with my team-mates, I'm not sure I'll survive the year. Especially when she looks like every fantasy Iโve ever had.
Sheโs totally off-limits. Completely forbidden. The one woman I canโt have.
And the only woman Iโve ever wanted.
Deathbringer
Author Sonia Tagliareni
Genres Dark Fantasy, Fantasy Action & Adventure, Romantic Fantasy, Action & Adventure Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
For fans of Naomi Novik and Kerri Maniscalco, a dark academia romantasy steeped in necromancy, forbidden love, and a twisty murder mystery set within the perilous halls of a magical institute, as a death mage who hates her magic and a poison mage who hates her are forced to work together to stop a killer before one of them is next.
Born with the ability to speak with the dead, Viola hates her magic. It killed her sister, Olivia, and if she doesnโt learn why, it will kill her too. Her only hope lies within the perilous walls of Gorhail Institute of Magic, where Olivia spent her final days.
There, Viola clashes with Sylas, a poison mage whose magic stems from three magical snakes. Immortal, tormented, and reckless, Sylas is tethered to a life he never asked for and haunted by guilt for his fatherโs death. His hatred for death mages runs deep, and heโs determined to keep Viola at a distance. But when an attack forces him to heal her, their fates become intertwined by a magical bond that threatens to upend his loyaltiesโand his common sense.
As more students start turning up dead, Viola and Sylas are drawn into an uneasy alliance that pulls them deeper into Gorhailโs treacherous passageways, where secrets fester beneath the stone and the dead do not rest. And as enemy lines begin to blur and their undeniable attraction grows, Viola and Sylas uncover a chilling someone is hunting mages for their magical relics, and if they canโt uncover the killer in time, Viola will be next.
Born with the ability to speak with the dead, Viola hates her magic. It killed her sister, Olivia, and if she doesnโt learn why, it will kill her too. Her only hope lies within the perilous walls of Gorhail Institute of Magic, where Olivia spent her final days.
There, Viola clashes with Sylas, a poison mage whose magic stems from three magical snakes. Immortal, tormented, and reckless, Sylas is tethered to a life he never asked for and haunted by guilt for his fatherโs death. His hatred for death mages runs deep, and heโs determined to keep Viola at a distance. But when an attack forces him to heal her, their fates become intertwined by a magical bond that threatens to upend his loyaltiesโand his common sense.
As more students start turning up dead, Viola and Sylas are drawn into an uneasy alliance that pulls them deeper into Gorhailโs treacherous passageways, where secrets fester beneath the stone and the dead do not rest. And as enemy lines begin to blur and their undeniable attraction grows, Viola and Sylas uncover a chilling someone is hunting mages for their magical relics, and if they canโt uncover the killer in time, Viola will be next.
Ironwood
Author Michael Connelly
Genres Literary Fiction, Police Procedurals, Crime Thrillers
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Sworn to protect a scenic island meant to be far from the evils of the mainland, Detective Sergeant Stilwell can feel danger closing in.
Detective Sergeant Stilwell knows that his posting on Catalina Island is no paradise, but to most residents, it seems blissfully separatedโby twenty-two miles of oceanโfrom the troubles of Los Angeles County. But now a threat is coming to his safe haven.
Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Stilwell and his deputies watch a plane land in the middle of the night at the Airport in the Sky, a remote airstrip in the mountains. A duffel bag of drugs is dropped and the deputies move in, but things quickly go sideways. While Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man into the mountainside brush, shots are fired on the runway and the plane flies off.
An internal inquiry follows, putting Stilwell on the bench until he is cleared of responsibility for the disastrous operation. But he is determined to find out who brought deadly violence to his island, and begins his own secret investigation into the drug deal gone wrong.
While under orders to remain in the sheriffโs substation, he finds in the lost and found a valuable backpack that was never claimed. He traces it to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. But then why was the pack only turned in two months back? Now thoroughly intrigued, he follows the mystery all the way to the LAPDโs Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renรฉe Ballard.
Stilwell and Ballard work the case from both sides of the channel, and soon realize they are on the trail of a criminal who revels in taunting the authorities. Meanwhile, frustrated at being shut out of an investigation on his own island, Stilwell risks his already shaky standing in the department to pursue a case whose reach is wider than he ever imagined.
Page-turning, packed with intrigue, and bringing together an unstoppable investigative team, Ironwood continues the Catalina series with all of Michael Connellyโs signature โrelentless narrative driveโฆevocative atmosphere, realistic dialogue, and well-developed charactersโ (Washington Review of Books).
Detective Sergeant Stilwell knows that his posting on Catalina Island is no paradise, but to most residents, it seems blissfully separatedโby twenty-two miles of oceanโfrom the troubles of Los Angeles County. But now a threat is coming to his safe haven.
Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Stilwell and his deputies watch a plane land in the middle of the night at the Airport in the Sky, a remote airstrip in the mountains. A duffel bag of drugs is dropped and the deputies move in, but things quickly go sideways. While Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man into the mountainside brush, shots are fired on the runway and the plane flies off.
An internal inquiry follows, putting Stilwell on the bench until he is cleared of responsibility for the disastrous operation. But he is determined to find out who brought deadly violence to his island, and begins his own secret investigation into the drug deal gone wrong.
While under orders to remain in the sheriffโs substation, he finds in the lost and found a valuable backpack that was never claimed. He traces it to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. But then why was the pack only turned in two months back? Now thoroughly intrigued, he follows the mystery all the way to the LAPDโs Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renรฉe Ballard.
Stilwell and Ballard work the case from both sides of the channel, and soon realize they are on the trail of a criminal who revels in taunting the authorities. Meanwhile, frustrated at being shut out of an investigation on his own island, Stilwell risks his already shaky standing in the department to pursue a case whose reach is wider than he ever imagined.
Page-turning, packed with intrigue, and bringing together an unstoppable investigative team, Ironwood continues the Catalina series with all of Michael Connellyโs signature โrelentless narrative driveโฆevocative atmosphere, realistic dialogue, and well-developed charactersโ (Washington Review of Books).
Murder at the Hotel Orient
Author Alessandra Ranelli
Genres Literature & Fiction, Women Sleuths, Amateur Sleuths, Suspense Thrillers
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A spicy whodunnit for fans of Tourist Season and The Grand Budapest Hote, this thrilling (and sexy) debut is inspired by a real love hotel, which legend claims has existed forever, luring lovers inside for a night of debaucheryโฆ
In modern Vienna, American Sterling Lockwood is the loyal concierge at the infamous Hotel Orient, where cameras are banned, aliases are required, and every guest has something to hide. After the double murder of two guests, including a tech mogul building an Austrian surveillance state, Sterling must turn detective. But finding the truth will require breaking the Orientโs sacred code of secrecy, while keeping a few secrets of her own.
The police struggle when modern investigative technology proves useless at the old-fashioned hotel. Because clients use aliases, pay cash, and stay mere hours, all suspects have vanished. Sterling agrees to assist alongside her best friend and colleague, Fernando, if only to avoid arrest and the suspicion regarding her own movements that night. As enemies close in from all around, she risks everything to solve a case haunted by the past, in a city with a fetish for nostalgia.
Donโt be shy darling, ring the bell
In modern Vienna, American Sterling Lockwood is the loyal concierge at the infamous Hotel Orient, where cameras are banned, aliases are required, and every guest has something to hide. After the double murder of two guests, including a tech mogul building an Austrian surveillance state, Sterling must turn detective. But finding the truth will require breaking the Orientโs sacred code of secrecy, while keeping a few secrets of her own.
The police struggle when modern investigative technology proves useless at the old-fashioned hotel. Because clients use aliases, pay cash, and stay mere hours, all suspects have vanished. Sterling agrees to assist alongside her best friend and colleague, Fernando, if only to avoid arrest and the suspicion regarding her own movements that night. As enemies close in from all around, she risks everything to solve a case haunted by the past, in a city with a fetish for nostalgia.
Donโt be shy darling, ring the bell
Until Death
Author Mary Berman
Genres Comedic Dramas & Plays, Horror Occult & Supernatural, Dark Humor, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
"Say Yes to the Dress meets Rosemary's Baby" (Margie Sarsfield) in this fresh, darkly funny horror novel in which a woman finally agrees to marry the man of her motherโs dreams. . . only to discover that wedding planning will eat you alive.
If Ophelia Cohen learned one thing from her parents, itโs that getting married is a bad idea. But if sheโs learning anything from her widowed motherโs dementia, itโs that dying alone is worse. So when she meets Lukeโthe man of her motherโs dreamsโmarriage suddenly doesnโt seem so crazy.
But none of Opheliaโs obsessive scrolling on wedding forums can prepare her for the nightmare of planning her own. Why is her mother-in-law going crazy over every detail? Why is Lukeโs family so eager to host the wedding in their vineyardโs ancient chapel? And what exactly will Ophelia have to sacrifice if she and her mother both hope to survive her special day?
Shot through with wicked humor, pitch-black horror, and unexpected romance, Until Death is a deliciously dark and funny send-up of the wedding industrial complexโand a mother-daughter story unlike any youโve read before.
"Recognizes the Gothic horror inherent to planning a wedding and creates from it a painfully incisive and genuinely haunting fever dream.โ โKay Chronister, author of The Bog Wife
โCompletely unique, deeply unnerving, and deviously funny.โ โSamantha Allen, author of Patricia Wants to Cuddle
โGrabbed me like a creeping vine and wouldn't let go." โKerry Cullen, author of House of Beth
โGlistens with humor and horror. An electrifying and affecting debut.โ โSamantha Hunt, author of The Seas
If Ophelia Cohen learned one thing from her parents, itโs that getting married is a bad idea. But if sheโs learning anything from her widowed motherโs dementia, itโs that dying alone is worse. So when she meets Lukeโthe man of her motherโs dreamsโmarriage suddenly doesnโt seem so crazy.
But none of Opheliaโs obsessive scrolling on wedding forums can prepare her for the nightmare of planning her own. Why is her mother-in-law going crazy over every detail? Why is Lukeโs family so eager to host the wedding in their vineyardโs ancient chapel? And what exactly will Ophelia have to sacrifice if she and her mother both hope to survive her special day?
Shot through with wicked humor, pitch-black horror, and unexpected romance, Until Death is a deliciously dark and funny send-up of the wedding industrial complexโand a mother-daughter story unlike any youโve read before.
"Recognizes the Gothic horror inherent to planning a wedding and creates from it a painfully incisive and genuinely haunting fever dream.โ โKay Chronister, author of The Bog Wife
โCompletely unique, deeply unnerving, and deviously funny.โ โSamantha Allen, author of Patricia Wants to Cuddle
โGrabbed me like a creeping vine and wouldn't let go." โKerry Cullen, author of House of Beth
โGlistens with humor and horror. An electrifying and affecting debut.โ โSamantha Hunt, author of The Seas
Soon by You
Author Dahlia Adler
Genres Jewish Literature & Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Enemies to Lovers Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
27 Dresses meets The Intimacy Experiment in this sexy, emotional, opposites-attract rom-com set in New York City's Modern Orthodox community.
If Arielle Becker has to serve as a bridesmaid one more time, she's going to scream. Between the expense, the collection of dresses she'll never wear again, the shower planning, the Spanx, the bridezillas, the family time, the heels, and a certain judgmental wedding singer she can't stop bumping into, she is exhausted, burned out, and seriously beginning to hate romance and all its celebrations. Besides, it's not like any of these girls are ever gonna turn around and do the same for her; Ari is not the kind of girl a good Jewish boy is looking to marry.
Judah Klein may be the tri-state area's most in-demand Modern Orthodox wedding singer and eligible bachelor, but after years of uninspiring setups, he's just about to give up on looking for his own Happily Ever After. Then a fiery, infuriating bridesmaid steps on his foot at a wedding, and before long, trading heated barbs turns into trading hotter kisses...and a realization that maybe he's been looking for the wrong life all along.
For the first time, Judah can finally get on board with a romance, and of course it's thanks to the one woman who has no interest in settling down - especially not with a guy who lives in the spotlight and has a professional reputation to uphold. But when neither one seems able to move on from a relationship that wasn't meant to go anywhere, they'll have to figure out whether there's a possible future for two people who've already given up on love.
If Arielle Becker has to serve as a bridesmaid one more time, she's going to scream. Between the expense, the collection of dresses she'll never wear again, the shower planning, the Spanx, the bridezillas, the family time, the heels, and a certain judgmental wedding singer she can't stop bumping into, she is exhausted, burned out, and seriously beginning to hate romance and all its celebrations. Besides, it's not like any of these girls are ever gonna turn around and do the same for her; Ari is not the kind of girl a good Jewish boy is looking to marry.
Judah Klein may be the tri-state area's most in-demand Modern Orthodox wedding singer and eligible bachelor, but after years of uninspiring setups, he's just about to give up on looking for his own Happily Ever After. Then a fiery, infuriating bridesmaid steps on his foot at a wedding, and before long, trading heated barbs turns into trading hotter kisses...and a realization that maybe he's been looking for the wrong life all along.
For the first time, Judah can finally get on board with a romance, and of course it's thanks to the one woman who has no interest in settling down - especially not with a guy who lives in the spotlight and has a professional reputation to uphold. But when neither one seems able to move on from a relationship that wasn't meant to go anywhere, they'll have to figure out whether there's a possible future for two people who've already given up on love.
A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity
Author Rachel Linden
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Women Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Fantasy Books
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A tantalizing novel about a struggling chocolatier who is granted a magical vision of the future of her dreams, only to realize that her heart may desire something else entirely, from the bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.
Paris trained chocolatier and single mother Emmie Wynne gave up her own dreams six years ago when she returned to her Pacific Northwest coastal tourist town to run her familyโs struggling candy store. Now on her thirty-fourth birthday, Emmie has only one wish, to be granted the vision that every Wynne woman is given once in her lifetimeโa shimmering glimpse of her true destiny. This year, when she blows out her candles, it finally comes true.
Her vision is more delectable than she couldโve imaginedโher very own artisanal chocolate shop filled with decadent truffles and caramels, and her celebrity crush, Henry Summers, down on one knee. And when Henry suddenly arrives in town for the summer, offering Emmie the opportunity of a lifetime, the future in her vision suddenly seems possible.
But a rekindled connection with Jakob, her former high school best friend turned hunky, brooding tattooed baker, forces Emmie to grapple with the bittersweet realization that her destiny may not be what her heart truly longs for. As the culmination of her vision draws nearer, can Emmie find the courage to create a happiness of her own making?
Paris trained chocolatier and single mother Emmie Wynne gave up her own dreams six years ago when she returned to her Pacific Northwest coastal tourist town to run her familyโs struggling candy store. Now on her thirty-fourth birthday, Emmie has only one wish, to be granted the vision that every Wynne woman is given once in her lifetimeโa shimmering glimpse of her true destiny. This year, when she blows out her candles, it finally comes true.
Her vision is more delectable than she couldโve imaginedโher very own artisanal chocolate shop filled with decadent truffles and caramels, and her celebrity crush, Henry Summers, down on one knee. And when Henry suddenly arrives in town for the summer, offering Emmie the opportunity of a lifetime, the future in her vision suddenly seems possible.
But a rekindled connection with Jakob, her former high school best friend turned hunky, brooding tattooed baker, forces Emmie to grapple with the bittersweet realization that her destiny may not be what her heart truly longs for. As the culmination of her vision draws nearer, can Emmie find the courage to create a happiness of her own making?
Canon
Author Paige Lewis
Genres LGBTQ+ Humorous Fiction, LGBTQ+ Literary Fiction, Comedic Dramas & Plays, Humorous American Literature
Publication Date May 19, 2026
โA scorchingly brilliant, wildly funny, and deeply moving epic.โ โJohn Green, #1 globally bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars
Two unlikely heroes embark on quests to win Godโs favor in this outrageously entertaining, profoundly heartfelt novel that announces an ingenious new voice in the tradition of Chain-Gang All-Stars, No One Is Talking About This, and Martyr!
Yara canโt comprehend why God has chosen them to slay Dominic, the ruthless leader of the army of Bad Guys. Cast out by their family and reeling from a destructive relationship, Yara has never felt weakerโbut with nothing left to lose, they strike a deal. Abandoning their solitary days of embroidery and obsessive cleaning, Yara reluctantly embarks on a perilous odyssey designed to prepare them for the daunting mission ahead.
Meanwhile, Adrena, a disillusioned prophet with a terrifying secret power, is determined to become the hero of this story. Desperately seeking the glory of Godโs approval and the promise of heaven, where she hopes to reunite with her beloved mother, Adrena must first persuade Harpo, the leader of the Good Guys, that her plan is Godโs will.
As their journeys unfold in a series of unforgettable adventures, Yara and Adrena are propelled toward each other and transformative revelations about life, death, and destiny in this intensely captivating, irreverent epic from a singularly brilliant new voice in fiction.
Two unlikely heroes embark on quests to win Godโs favor in this outrageously entertaining, profoundly heartfelt novel that announces an ingenious new voice in the tradition of Chain-Gang All-Stars, No One Is Talking About This, and Martyr!
Yara canโt comprehend why God has chosen them to slay Dominic, the ruthless leader of the army of Bad Guys. Cast out by their family and reeling from a destructive relationship, Yara has never felt weakerโbut with nothing left to lose, they strike a deal. Abandoning their solitary days of embroidery and obsessive cleaning, Yara reluctantly embarks on a perilous odyssey designed to prepare them for the daunting mission ahead.
Meanwhile, Adrena, a disillusioned prophet with a terrifying secret power, is determined to become the hero of this story. Desperately seeking the glory of Godโs approval and the promise of heaven, where she hopes to reunite with her beloved mother, Adrena must first persuade Harpo, the leader of the Good Guys, that her plan is Godโs will.
As their journeys unfold in a series of unforgettable adventures, Yara and Adrena are propelled toward each other and transformative revelations about life, death, and destiny in this intensely captivating, irreverent epic from a singularly brilliant new voice in fiction.
Artifacts
Author Natalie Lemle
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Literary Fiction, Amateur Sleuths, Suspense Thrillers
Publication Date May 19, 2026
For readers of The Cloisters and Counterfeit, Natalie Lemleโs debut novel offers an insiderโs view into the world of stolen artifacts and the hidden networks that link museums to organized crime, when a woman is forced to remember the summer she spent on an archaeological dig in Italy, as everyone she knew then may now be in danger.
Successful trusts and estates attorney Lena Connolly is asked by a colleague to assist on a case: the Italian government claims an artifact was looted and sold to a museum illegally and is seeking repatriation. The object in question is a cup made of dichroic glass, which would have been rare even in Ancient Rome, let alone thousands of years later.
Lena has done everything she can to put the study abroad summer she spent on an archaeological dig in the Italian Alps behind her. Her dreams of being an archaeologist shattered when her mentor Cyrille disappeared and her enigmatic boyfriend Giamma went dark, but with this new case, the past comes roaring back.
Told in alternating timelines, Artifacts follows young Lena as she falls in love with both archaeology and Giamma on the streets of Torino while her adult self pieces together what truly happened on the dig, now a fully restored Roman villa with World Heritage status. The dichroic cup, Lena discovers, may have been taken from the very site she helped unearth.
Powerful and exuberant, Natalie Lemleโs Artifacts brings readers behind the museum glass and asks questions about cultural heritage and the historical preservation of our shared sense of humanity.
Successful trusts and estates attorney Lena Connolly is asked by a colleague to assist on a case: the Italian government claims an artifact was looted and sold to a museum illegally and is seeking repatriation. The object in question is a cup made of dichroic glass, which would have been rare even in Ancient Rome, let alone thousands of years later.
Lena has done everything she can to put the study abroad summer she spent on an archaeological dig in the Italian Alps behind her. Her dreams of being an archaeologist shattered when her mentor Cyrille disappeared and her enigmatic boyfriend Giamma went dark, but with this new case, the past comes roaring back.
Told in alternating timelines, Artifacts follows young Lena as she falls in love with both archaeology and Giamma on the streets of Torino while her adult self pieces together what truly happened on the dig, now a fully restored Roman villa with World Heritage status. The dichroic cup, Lena discovers, may have been taken from the very site she helped unearth.
Powerful and exuberant, Natalie Lemleโs Artifacts brings readers behind the museum glass and asks questions about cultural heritage and the historical preservation of our shared sense of humanity.
Strange Familiars
Author Keshe Chow
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, New Adult & College Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
All's fair in love and magic.
Gwendolynne Chan just needs to get through her final year. At Seamere College of Magical Veterinary Sciences, she spends her days using her powers to heal companion animals while her nights are spent studying for exams. As the top student in the magical familiars stream, she is on track to be awarded Dux of the entire school - as long as the pretentious twat Harrisford Briggs doesn't beat her to it.
Harrisford Briggs was born into privilege. His father, the Chief Financial Officer of Magecorp, a major global distributor of magic, expects him to come top of the year. Harrisford, though, can't help but notice that his father has been acting odd. Really odd. And there are strange whisperings, too. Rumours of uncontrollable surges of excess magic, which Magecorp has been trying to cover up, as well as rampant corruption within the Magical Ministry itself.
When these magical surges begin to rock their way through London, causing chaos and explosions and familiars going feral, Gwen and Harrisford find themselves without a reliable source of magic, putting both of their academic careers at risk. To fix this, they must put aside their duelling feelings of lust and loathing, and - along with Gwen's snarky cat familiar - team up to diagnose the problem. If they fail, not only is their education at stake, but also the fate of the magical world.
Gwendolynne Chan just needs to get through her final year. At Seamere College of Magical Veterinary Sciences, she spends her days using her powers to heal companion animals while her nights are spent studying for exams. As the top student in the magical familiars stream, she is on track to be awarded Dux of the entire school - as long as the pretentious twat Harrisford Briggs doesn't beat her to it.
Harrisford Briggs was born into privilege. His father, the Chief Financial Officer of Magecorp, a major global distributor of magic, expects him to come top of the year. Harrisford, though, can't help but notice that his father has been acting odd. Really odd. And there are strange whisperings, too. Rumours of uncontrollable surges of excess magic, which Magecorp has been trying to cover up, as well as rampant corruption within the Magical Ministry itself.
When these magical surges begin to rock their way through London, causing chaos and explosions and familiars going feral, Gwen and Harrisford find themselves without a reliable source of magic, putting both of their academic careers at risk. To fix this, they must put aside their duelling feelings of lust and loathing, and - along with Gwen's snarky cat familiar - team up to diagnose the problem. If they fail, not only is their education at stake, but also the fate of the magical world.
Score
Author Kennedy Ryan
Genres Contemporary Women Fiction, Black & African American Romance Fiction, LGBTQ+ Romance, Workplace Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A scorching second-chance romance between a talented screenwriter and a phenomenal musician from "a fantastic storyteller and superb writer." โNPR
โYou never forget your first love. Isn't that what they say? Verity Hill knows this truth intimately. She didn't simply miss Wright "Monk" Bellamy when they parted ways in college. She's haunted by his touch. Every kiss, any lover sinceโit's a shadow of what they had.
Time heals all wounds. Isn't that what they say? Monk doesn't believe that for a second. He wasn't simply betrayed when he and Verity split. He was devastated, with parts of him left behind in the ruins of all that was destroyed.
More than a decade after their disastrous breakup, Verity and Monk must work together on the set of an epic Harlem Renaissance biopic. With Monk, now a world-class musician, creating the score, and Verity, an award-winning screenwriter, penning the script, there's Oscar buzz before shooting even begins. This once-in-a-lifetime project could catapult them both to new heights, but can they can put the past behind them for the sake of the filmโฆfor the sake of something more?
โYou never forget your first love. Isn't that what they say? Verity Hill knows this truth intimately. She didn't simply miss Wright "Monk" Bellamy when they parted ways in college. She's haunted by his touch. Every kiss, any lover sinceโit's a shadow of what they had.
Time heals all wounds. Isn't that what they say? Monk doesn't believe that for a second. He wasn't simply betrayed when he and Verity split. He was devastated, with parts of him left behind in the ruins of all that was destroyed.
More than a decade after their disastrous breakup, Verity and Monk must work together on the set of an epic Harlem Renaissance biopic. With Monk, now a world-class musician, creating the score, and Verity, an award-winning screenwriter, penning the script, there's Oscar buzz before shooting even begins. This once-in-a-lifetime project could catapult them both to new heights, but can they can put the past behind them for the sake of the filmโฆfor the sake of something more?
Safari Murder Party
Author Rachel Moore
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Action Fiction, Dark Humor
Publication Date May 19, 2026
In this darkly funny, slightly unhinged, heart-pounding thriller, two office rivals must team up to escape wild animals and even wilder coworkers on a corporate retreat gone wrong.
Fletcher Spence is dying for a promotion. And her colleagues are more than happy to oblige.
After three years working seventy-hour weeks as assistant to the most terrifying CEO in the magazine world, Fletcher finally finagled a spot on Cartwright Mediaโs annual corporate retreatโa famously luxurious week on the Cartwrightsโ private island, where promotions are handed out like party favors. And her plan to snag her dream job as a travel magazine photographer was going great...until her bossโs dramatic death reveals his last will and testament: Whoever survives the week will inherit the company.
So now sheโs stuck on her billionaire bossโs safari park island, surrounded by wild animals and on the run from coworkers whoโve swapped coffee cups for machetes and briefcases for hunting rifles.
To Fletcherโs dismay, her only ally might be her bossโs insufferably gorgeous son, Waylon Cartwright. Despite their hostile history, Fletcher is at least 80 percent sure he wonโt try to kill her this week. Plus, his experience on the island might come in handy while they fend off lions and tigers and...marketing executives? Oh my.
While Fletcher battles her own ambitions and her unexpected attraction to Waylon, her power-hungry, bloodthirsty colleagues will do anything to stop them from escaping with their lives. Everyone knows the media industry is cutthroat, but in this safari party, itโs never been more true.
Fletcher Spence is dying for a promotion. And her colleagues are more than happy to oblige.
After three years working seventy-hour weeks as assistant to the most terrifying CEO in the magazine world, Fletcher finally finagled a spot on Cartwright Mediaโs annual corporate retreatโa famously luxurious week on the Cartwrightsโ private island, where promotions are handed out like party favors. And her plan to snag her dream job as a travel magazine photographer was going great...until her bossโs dramatic death reveals his last will and testament: Whoever survives the week will inherit the company.
So now sheโs stuck on her billionaire bossโs safari park island, surrounded by wild animals and on the run from coworkers whoโve swapped coffee cups for machetes and briefcases for hunting rifles.
To Fletcherโs dismay, her only ally might be her bossโs insufferably gorgeous son, Waylon Cartwright. Despite their hostile history, Fletcher is at least 80 percent sure he wonโt try to kill her this week. Plus, his experience on the island might come in handy while they fend off lions and tigers and...marketing executives? Oh my.
While Fletcher battles her own ambitions and her unexpected attraction to Waylon, her power-hungry, bloodthirsty colleagues will do anything to stop them from escaping with their lives. Everyone knows the media industry is cutthroat, but in this safari party, itโs never been more true.
Take Me with You
Author Steven Rowley
Genres LGBTQ+ Family Life Fiction, LGBTQ+ Literary Fiction, Family Life Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A poignant, hilarious, and wholly original love story, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Celebrants and winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
College professor Jesse del Ruth has been abandoned. Thirty years into their relationship, Jesse witnesses his husband Norman get out of bed late one night, walk into their Joshua Tree backyard, step into a strange beam of light and . . . disappear. How could Norman desert him after a lifetime together? Where did he go? And, most confoundingly . . . will he ever return? Jesse knew they were longing for something, both feeling stuck. But had Norman been so stuck that his only option was to leave Jesse behind?
As Jesse struggles to understand Normanโs disappearance, he tries to piece together his new reality. Is he expected to wait patiently for a partner who may never come back? Or is this an opportunity for reinvention? He is, after all, alone for the first time in his adult life. Should he return to the classroom? Put in a pool? Get a dog? Call his estranged mother? What does it mean to be alone when youโve always been one half of a whole?
When Normanโs sister Lally lands on Jesseโs doorstep with an urgent request, Normanโs absence becomes even more profound. Add to Jesseโs grief and confusion a conspiracy-theorist neighbor, a strange man following him, and suspicions that he may have had a hand in Normanโs disappearance, and Jesse starts to crack under the pressure. With his husband missing and the world closing in, all eyes are on Jesse. Before he can understand how Norman could leave it all behind, Jesse must confront what it means to stay.
In Take Me With You, Steven Rowley brings his resonant wit and emotional insight to an epic love story โ an exploration of the forces that draw two people into the same orbit and the gravity that threatens to pull them apart.
College professor Jesse del Ruth has been abandoned. Thirty years into their relationship, Jesse witnesses his husband Norman get out of bed late one night, walk into their Joshua Tree backyard, step into a strange beam of light and . . . disappear. How could Norman desert him after a lifetime together? Where did he go? And, most confoundingly . . . will he ever return? Jesse knew they were longing for something, both feeling stuck. But had Norman been so stuck that his only option was to leave Jesse behind?
As Jesse struggles to understand Normanโs disappearance, he tries to piece together his new reality. Is he expected to wait patiently for a partner who may never come back? Or is this an opportunity for reinvention? He is, after all, alone for the first time in his adult life. Should he return to the classroom? Put in a pool? Get a dog? Call his estranged mother? What does it mean to be alone when youโve always been one half of a whole?
When Normanโs sister Lally lands on Jesseโs doorstep with an urgent request, Normanโs absence becomes even more profound. Add to Jesseโs grief and confusion a conspiracy-theorist neighbor, a strange man following him, and suspicions that he may have had a hand in Normanโs disappearance, and Jesse starts to crack under the pressure. With his husband missing and the world closing in, all eyes are on Jesse. Before he can understand how Norman could leave it all behind, Jesse must confront what it means to stay.
In Take Me With You, Steven Rowley brings his resonant wit and emotional insight to an epic love story โ an exploration of the forces that draw two people into the same orbit and the gravity that threatens to pull them apart.
The Dorians
Author Nick Cutter
Genres Horror Literature & Fiction, Medical Thrillers, Suspense Thrillers, Supernatural Thrillers
Publication Date May 19, 2026
On a remote island in the Canadian wilderness, five elderly volunteers from different walks of life are given a tantalizing offer: to stall their biological clocks or even reverse them, restoring their lost youth. The chance to put death on pauseโforever, perhaps. The remarkable secret lies in the high-tech harnessing of an ancient and extraordinary biological agentโฆone with no conscience, yet possessed with a single-minded purpose that has helped it persist for eons: the will to survive. The dark heart of unbridled human ambition finds its apex in an unholy experiment that now tests the limits of both creator and subject, eclipsing all bounds of morality and sanityโฆ.
The Kings' List
Author Jade Presley
Genres Literature & Fiction, Romantic Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Don't miss out on the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run in the U.S. and Canada only, a must-have for any book lover.
They said the trials were over.
They were wrong.
I survived the Choosing. I claimed my mates. I became immortal. But the kings werenโt finished with us yet.
Four princes. Four thrones. And a final season designed to decide if weโre worthy to rule. Every task is a test. Every smile is a lie. The people judge. The council votes. And the kings are waiting for us to fail.
I was never meant to be queen. I was an Ashlander who broke into a palace searching for her sister. Now I stand beside the Legends of Chaos, holding power the kingdom fears and love fierce enough to burn it all down.
To win the crowns, weโll have to survive the Kingsโ List.
Failure isnโt an option.
Because this time, weโre not just fighting for the throneโweโre fighting for each other.
The Never List series is best read in order:
Book 1: The Never List
Book 2 The Kings' List
They said the trials were over.
They were wrong.
I survived the Choosing. I claimed my mates. I became immortal. But the kings werenโt finished with us yet.
Four princes. Four thrones. And a final season designed to decide if weโre worthy to rule. Every task is a test. Every smile is a lie. The people judge. The council votes. And the kings are waiting for us to fail.
I was never meant to be queen. I was an Ashlander who broke into a palace searching for her sister. Now I stand beside the Legends of Chaos, holding power the kingdom fears and love fierce enough to burn it all down.
To win the crowns, weโll have to survive the Kingsโ List.
Failure isnโt an option.
Because this time, weโre not just fighting for the throneโweโre fighting for each other.
The Never List series is best read in order:
Book 1: The Never List
Book 2 The Kings' List
Spies, Lies, and Alibis
Author Natalie Walters
Genres Feel-Good Fiction, Crime Action & Adventure, Mystery Action & Adventure, Thriller & Suspense Action Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
They were each other's first love. Now they might be each other's last hope.
Cybil Langford has spent years hiding behind her polished, professional facade as the executive assistant to a powerful real estate mogul, where she's perfectly positioned to collect intel on her boss's criminal network. But when her mission leads her into the path of Lorenzo Ramirez--a ruthless crime boss with deadly plans--she'll need every ounce of cunning and charm to stay one step ahead.
Then he walks back into her life.
Ben Bradley is deep undercover for the FBI, living under an alias, as a financial advisor with a reputation for helping the wealthy and corrupt launder their money. His target? Lorenzo Ramirez, a dangerous crime boss with his hands in everything from smuggling to murder. But when a familiar face from his past suddenly reappears, things get . . . complicated.
The last time Cybil saw Ben, he was an annoying prankster--and her first crush. The last time Ben saw Cybil, she stole a piece of his heart. Neither expected to run into each other at a high-stakes fundraising gala where crime, corruption, and undercover agendas collide. Now, they're both keeping dangerous secrets--and working dangerously close to blowing each other's cover.
Forced to work together to stop a catastrophic deal that could arm America's enemies, Cybil and Ben must face ruthless criminals, hidden agendas, and the ghosts of their past. Trust is a luxury they can't afford--but love? That just might be their undoing.
The intel is classified. The trust is fragile. And their covers are one lie away from blowing wide open.
Cybil Langford has spent years hiding behind her polished, professional facade as the executive assistant to a powerful real estate mogul, where she's perfectly positioned to collect intel on her boss's criminal network. But when her mission leads her into the path of Lorenzo Ramirez--a ruthless crime boss with deadly plans--she'll need every ounce of cunning and charm to stay one step ahead.
Then he walks back into her life.
Ben Bradley is deep undercover for the FBI, living under an alias, as a financial advisor with a reputation for helping the wealthy and corrupt launder their money. His target? Lorenzo Ramirez, a dangerous crime boss with his hands in everything from smuggling to murder. But when a familiar face from his past suddenly reappears, things get . . . complicated.
The last time Cybil saw Ben, he was an annoying prankster--and her first crush. The last time Ben saw Cybil, she stole a piece of his heart. Neither expected to run into each other at a high-stakes fundraising gala where crime, corruption, and undercover agendas collide. Now, they're both keeping dangerous secrets--and working dangerously close to blowing each other's cover.
Forced to work together to stop a catastrophic deal that could arm America's enemies, Cybil and Ben must face ruthless criminals, hidden agendas, and the ghosts of their past. Trust is a luxury they can't afford--but love? That just might be their undoing.
The intel is classified. The trust is fragile. And their covers are one lie away from blowing wide open.
The Fake Divination Offense
Author Sara Raasch
Genres LGBTQ+ Books, Literature & Fiction, Sports Romance, Humorous Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Sports romance gets a Dungeons & Dragons makeover with the next book in the Magic and Romance series that follows half-giant Orok, forced into a PR relationship with a feisty, fan-favorite cheerleader.
Orok star defensive tank on the Philadelphia Hellhounds rawball team. Half-giant. Patron Urzoth, god of strength . . . only Orokโs tired of being tied to a god known for aggression. So (donโt tell his mother) heโs planning on renouncing Urzoth.
Until the cult of Galaxrien, Urzothโs sworn enemy, ends up causing a lot of damage through their ill-advised attempts to summon him, and the followers of both deities find themselves blamed for the long-standing feud and its ramifications.
Alexo cheerleading intern with the Hellhounds. Smells like apples, which Orok only knows because he picked Alexo up. AccidentallyโOrok publicly saves Alexo from a bar fight, and fans go feral for the muscly pro athlete being protective of the pint size dude-in-distress.
Thatโs enough to have the Hellhounds and Urzothโs church both coming to them with a Orok and Alexo will start a PR relationship to put a positive spin on Urzoth. Orok is all set to refuseโand finally separate from Urzothโwhen the team offers Alexo a starting spot on the cheerleading squad to play up the star athlete and cheerleader optics. Itโs such an obvious dream come true for Alexo that Orok finds himself agreeing to the arrangement like the sap he is.
He can keep living a lie for a bit longer. But Orok starts to wonder if they can drop the fake part of this fake-relationshipโฆ
Orok star defensive tank on the Philadelphia Hellhounds rawball team. Half-giant. Patron Urzoth, god of strength . . . only Orokโs tired of being tied to a god known for aggression. So (donโt tell his mother) heโs planning on renouncing Urzoth.
Until the cult of Galaxrien, Urzothโs sworn enemy, ends up causing a lot of damage through their ill-advised attempts to summon him, and the followers of both deities find themselves blamed for the long-standing feud and its ramifications.
Alexo cheerleading intern with the Hellhounds. Smells like apples, which Orok only knows because he picked Alexo up. AccidentallyโOrok publicly saves Alexo from a bar fight, and fans go feral for the muscly pro athlete being protective of the pint size dude-in-distress.
Thatโs enough to have the Hellhounds and Urzothโs church both coming to them with a Orok and Alexo will start a PR relationship to put a positive spin on Urzoth. Orok is all set to refuseโand finally separate from Urzothโwhen the team offers Alexo a starting spot on the cheerleading squad to play up the star athlete and cheerleader optics. Itโs such an obvious dream come true for Alexo that Orok finds himself agreeing to the arrangement like the sap he is.
He can keep living a lie for a bit longer. But Orok starts to wonder if they can drop the fake part of this fake-relationshipโฆ
Villain
Author Natalie Zina Walschots
Genres LGBTQ+ Action & Adventure Fiction, LGBTQ+ Horror Fiction, LGBTQ+ Humorous Fiction, LGBTQ+ Literary Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
The Boys meets Starter Villain and Assistant to the Villain in Natalie Zina Walschotsโs electrifying, sharp, violent, and hilarious sequel to the highly acclaimed novel, Hench, in which the Auditor must confront the near-impossible in order to right the many wrongs in the superhuman industryโฆor cause more of them. Sheโs not picky.
Anna, better known to superheroes as the Auditor, has carved out a name for herself. Any hero unlucky enough to cross her path knows her potential and powers. Surely, success should taste she has an incredible job with lots of perks, and her boss will literally annihilate anyone who crosses her, and her greatest enemy, the former hero Supercollider, has been utterly defeated and literally ground to a pulp.
But Anna still has her sights set on a greater destroying the Draft, the organization that makes, trains, and manages the worldโs most powerful superheroes. These โheroesโ have shown time and time again that they do more harm than good, and now is the time to stop the damage at its source.
Yet all is not well for the Auditor and her fellow evildoers. Her employer, Leviathanโthe worldโs most feared supervillainโis not coping well with Supercolliderโs defeat at someone elseโs hands. Moreover, her unlikely ally and unexpected friend, Quantum Entanglement, has vanished without a trace, leaving Anna to examine all the ways they deceived each other. Tension and uncertainty fill the air, and fear that this moment of triumph is about to crumble looms over all of them.
Anna soon finds herself facing down an opponent unlike any sheโs taken on beforeโnot another superhero, but someone like herโฆsomeone much more the Draftโs Chief Marketing Officer. This isnโt a test of physical prowess, but ideas, and as the fight spirals deeper and deeper, with new foes popping up every dayโsheโll need more than just her superpowerโdata researchโto keep ascending through the supervillain ranks.
Itโs guerrilla ad warfare, and the Auditor might have finally met her match.
Anna, better known to superheroes as the Auditor, has carved out a name for herself. Any hero unlucky enough to cross her path knows her potential and powers. Surely, success should taste she has an incredible job with lots of perks, and her boss will literally annihilate anyone who crosses her, and her greatest enemy, the former hero Supercollider, has been utterly defeated and literally ground to a pulp.
But Anna still has her sights set on a greater destroying the Draft, the organization that makes, trains, and manages the worldโs most powerful superheroes. These โheroesโ have shown time and time again that they do more harm than good, and now is the time to stop the damage at its source.
Yet all is not well for the Auditor and her fellow evildoers. Her employer, Leviathanโthe worldโs most feared supervillainโis not coping well with Supercolliderโs defeat at someone elseโs hands. Moreover, her unlikely ally and unexpected friend, Quantum Entanglement, has vanished without a trace, leaving Anna to examine all the ways they deceived each other. Tension and uncertainty fill the air, and fear that this moment of triumph is about to crumble looms over all of them.
Anna soon finds herself facing down an opponent unlike any sheโs taken on beforeโnot another superhero, but someone like herโฆsomeone much more the Draftโs Chief Marketing Officer. This isnโt a test of physical prowess, but ideas, and as the fight spirals deeper and deeper, with new foes popping up every dayโsheโll need more than just her superpowerโdata researchโto keep ascending through the supervillain ranks.
Itโs guerrilla ad warfare, and the Auditor might have finally met her match.
The Arcane Arts
Author S. D. Coverly
Genres Dark Fantasy, Dark Romance, Paranormal Fantasy Books, Romantic Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
In this thrilling and sexy dark romance, a graduate student and her adviser dive into a taboo branch of magic, igniting a dangerous passion.
Ambitious and driven, Ellsbeth Storer has long been determined to study the arcane arts, even before the mysterious death of a loved one draws her to prestigious Newlyn University.
Professor Thaddeus Rawlins was once the wunderkind of the field, but in the wake of a horrific tragedy that nearly ended his career, he has resigned himself to the boredom of tenure.
Yet when the magnetic Ellsbeth enters his orbit, he finds her impossible to resist. He agrees to oversee her pursuit of a taboo thesis topic: the study of writ magic, the illegal power to control and compel othersโand a secret obsession of Rawlinsโs.
As student and professor undertake their illicit research, harmless flirtation crosses into uncontrollable desire, which threatens to bloom into something even more dangerous: love.
But can two people who are masters of manipulation ever trust each other?
Ambitious and driven, Ellsbeth Storer has long been determined to study the arcane arts, even before the mysterious death of a loved one draws her to prestigious Newlyn University.
Professor Thaddeus Rawlins was once the wunderkind of the field, but in the wake of a horrific tragedy that nearly ended his career, he has resigned himself to the boredom of tenure.
Yet when the magnetic Ellsbeth enters his orbit, he finds her impossible to resist. He agrees to oversee her pursuit of a taboo thesis topic: the study of writ magic, the illegal power to control and compel othersโand a secret obsession of Rawlinsโs.
As student and professor undertake their illicit research, harmless flirtation crosses into uncontrollable desire, which threatens to bloom into something even more dangerous: love.
But can two people who are masters of manipulation ever trust each other?
Hungered
Author Amanda Rizkalla
Genres Coming of Age Fiction, American Literature
Publication Date May 19, 2026
For readers of Sandra Cisnerosโ The House on Mango Street and Justin Torresโ We the Animals, this striking debut brings to life an unforgettable young narrator and the complicated, loving, cruel, and generous figures that make up her universe.
Sofiaโs mother promises that sheโll have her own bedroom to decorate soon. Soon, too, sheโll be able to see her friends, go back to school, and eat the colorful, tempting cakes in the grocery storeโs display case. For now, though, twelve-year-old Sofia lives with her mother and brother, Rafa, in their car. For now, Sofiaโs days are a blur of freeways and strip malls across the West Coast as her mother searches for a safe place to park for the night. For now, her mother contemplates impossible choices, while Sofia catches glimpses of kindness and cruelty from strangers, and tries to carve out a space and an identity for herself while grappling with her familyโs disintegration.
This haunting and lyrical novel captures the fault lines of an existence marked by economic insecurity, exploring what it means to come of age during a moment of displacement. Beautifully rendered and emotionally charged, Hungered is an indelible ode to survival, memory, and the search for home in its many forms.
Sofiaโs mother promises that sheโll have her own bedroom to decorate soon. Soon, too, sheโll be able to see her friends, go back to school, and eat the colorful, tempting cakes in the grocery storeโs display case. For now, though, twelve-year-old Sofia lives with her mother and brother, Rafa, in their car. For now, Sofiaโs days are a blur of freeways and strip malls across the West Coast as her mother searches for a safe place to park for the night. For now, her mother contemplates impossible choices, while Sofia catches glimpses of kindness and cruelty from strangers, and tries to carve out a space and an identity for herself while grappling with her familyโs disintegration.
This haunting and lyrical novel captures the fault lines of an existence marked by economic insecurity, exploring what it means to come of age during a moment of displacement. Beautifully rendered and emotionally charged, Hungered is an indelible ode to survival, memory, and the search for home in its many forms.
The Night Bus
Author Tessa Bickers
Genres Family Life Fiction, City Life Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Feel-Good Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
One book. Two strangers. An unforgettable journey as they rewrite the ending.
Daisy Douglas has spent her life behind the scenes: at work, in her relationships, and now, in planning a wedding she isnโt sure she even wants. As an entertainment journalist, she can spot the start of a story a mile away. So when her routine 4 a.m. bus ride to the newsroom takes a surprising turn, she notices.
For months, the same man has boarded at the same stop, reading the same tattered copy of Virginia Woolfโs Orlando over and over as if his life depends on it. When a broken-down bus and a shared walk through the quiet early-morning London streets finally throws them together, Tom reveals the heartbreaking truth as to why he canโt be without his novel.
Determined to help him find the answer to the riddle hidden in its pages, Daisy joins Tom on his strange literary questโone that leads them to places neither of them ever expected. But as their friendship deepens, she starts to wonder if what theyโre both looking for might not be in the book after all.
Daisy Douglas has spent her life behind the scenes: at work, in her relationships, and now, in planning a wedding she isnโt sure she even wants. As an entertainment journalist, she can spot the start of a story a mile away. So when her routine 4 a.m. bus ride to the newsroom takes a surprising turn, she notices.
For months, the same man has boarded at the same stop, reading the same tattered copy of Virginia Woolfโs Orlando over and over as if his life depends on it. When a broken-down bus and a shared walk through the quiet early-morning London streets finally throws them together, Tom reveals the heartbreaking truth as to why he canโt be without his novel.
Determined to help him find the answer to the riddle hidden in its pages, Daisy joins Tom on his strange literary questโone that leads them to places neither of them ever expected. But as their friendship deepens, she starts to wonder if what theyโre both looking for might not be in the book after all.
An Ordinary Sort of Evil
Author Kelley Armstrong
Genres Time Travel Fiction, Historical British & Irish Literature, Historical Mystery
Publication Date May 19, 2026
New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Victorian Scotland in the latest in the genre-blending Rip Through Time series.
Modern-day homicide detective Mallory Mitchell has grown accustomed to life in Victorian Scotland after travelling 150 years into the past into the body of a housemaid. Sheโs built a new life for herself. Even though she works as an assistant to forensic-science pioneer Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie, she considers them true friends. And with Gray in particular, perhaps, someday, something more.
Late one night, Gray and Mallory are summoned urgently to the home of Lady Adler, a patron of Grayโs undertaking business, and they assume there's been a death in the household. But instead, they arrive in the midst of a seance with a ghost demanding Gray's presence. The ghost is Lady Adler's former maid, who had gone missing but now requests that Gray investigate her murder. Although Gray and Mallory are skeptical, they agree to look into the matter, whether she's dead or alive. But unsure if there's been a murder or not, unable to call out the medium as a fraud, and concerned for the fate of the young maid, Gray and Mallory are once again drawn into a mystery much more puzzling--and more dangerous--than it first seems
Modern-day homicide detective Mallory Mitchell has grown accustomed to life in Victorian Scotland after travelling 150 years into the past into the body of a housemaid. Sheโs built a new life for herself. Even though she works as an assistant to forensic-science pioneer Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie, she considers them true friends. And with Gray in particular, perhaps, someday, something more.
Late one night, Gray and Mallory are summoned urgently to the home of Lady Adler, a patron of Grayโs undertaking business, and they assume there's been a death in the household. But instead, they arrive in the midst of a seance with a ghost demanding Gray's presence. The ghost is Lady Adler's former maid, who had gone missing but now requests that Gray investigate her murder. Although Gray and Mallory are skeptical, they agree to look into the matter, whether she's dead or alive. But unsure if there's been a murder or not, unable to call out the medium as a fraud, and concerned for the fate of the young maid, Gray and Mallory are once again drawn into a mystery much more puzzling--and more dangerous--than it first seems
The Players Club
Author Rachel Mills
Genres Family Life Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Women's Friendship Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
For fans of Lessons in Chemistry and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, a bold, big concept debut about a secret club of women who risk everything to ask the If you could be anyoneโฆwho would you dare to become?
Beth Greenwood has spent her life playing it safe. Sheโs been a graphic designer at the same company for a decade, she dutifully meets men from the apps for dinner and sometimes casual sex, she thinks about decorating her sterile, small apartment. Her comfort and joy are her Sunday catch-ups with her sister Elspeth, whose perfect life, very different from Bethโs, has recently started to unravel.
One day, Beth meets a woman who invites her to join a secret club. Itโs not knitting or books; itโs living out an experience youโve always wanted to have. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, gonzo graffiti artist, performer in the BDSM underground these women will get you everything you need in order toโtemporarilyโbe the person you might have been, had your life taken one or two different turns.
At first Beth is dazzled by her new friendships and the opportunity they offer her to test the boundaries of her identity, to escape from her quiet, ordinary life. But even the best of clubs can offer only so much distraction, and when the stakes of Bethโs real life become uncomfortably high, she must ask herself, really and truly, who sheโs going to choose to be, and who is going to nurture her when she needs it most.
The Players Club is a high-concept but grounded debut about the power of female friendship, the bonds that hold us in place, the human need for creativity, and the seductive possibility of reinvention. As immersive as it is incisive, it introduces Rachel Mills as a wise and warm chronicler of the human heart.
Beth Greenwood has spent her life playing it safe. Sheโs been a graphic designer at the same company for a decade, she dutifully meets men from the apps for dinner and sometimes casual sex, she thinks about decorating her sterile, small apartment. Her comfort and joy are her Sunday catch-ups with her sister Elspeth, whose perfect life, very different from Bethโs, has recently started to unravel.
One day, Beth meets a woman who invites her to join a secret club. Itโs not knitting or books; itโs living out an experience youโve always wanted to have. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, gonzo graffiti artist, performer in the BDSM underground these women will get you everything you need in order toโtemporarilyโbe the person you might have been, had your life taken one or two different turns.
At first Beth is dazzled by her new friendships and the opportunity they offer her to test the boundaries of her identity, to escape from her quiet, ordinary life. But even the best of clubs can offer only so much distraction, and when the stakes of Bethโs real life become uncomfortably high, she must ask herself, really and truly, who sheโs going to choose to be, and who is going to nurture her when she needs it most.
The Players Club is a high-concept but grounded debut about the power of female friendship, the bonds that hold us in place, the human need for creativity, and the seductive possibility of reinvention. As immersive as it is incisive, it introduces Rachel Mills as a wise and warm chronicler of the human heart.
The Hope Keeper
Author Heather Webb
Genres Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
1919, Washington D.C. Elisabeth Beaumont comes from a renowned jeweler family, but after the untimely death of her twin brother, she's left on her own to run the failing family business. Desperate for work, she approaches the affluent crowd her brother Julien once courted to expand Beaumont Jewelers. Their ringleader is wealthy socialite Evalyn McLean, owner of the world's most infamous gemstone, rumored to curse all who travel within its orbit.
The Hope Diamond.
As Elisabeth is swept into Evalyn's toxic world of dark opulence, the lines defining who she is and where she belongs begin to blur, leading Elisabeth to question all she once believed. She's no longer certain she wants to take over the family business and be beholden to the wealthy elite of D.C. But she can't fathom leaving her father in the lurch. There's also Evalyn to consider, and the Hope Diamond, which beckons Elisabeth to admire it, touch it, care for it, despite every warning she's been told.
When tragedy strikes one night, not only is Elisabeth's fragile friendship with Evalyn put to the test, but her carefully constructed glamorous new life comes crashing down. Now Elisabeth must face the truth about her brother's death and decide what matters most.
The Hope Diamond.
As Elisabeth is swept into Evalyn's toxic world of dark opulence, the lines defining who she is and where she belongs begin to blur, leading Elisabeth to question all she once believed. She's no longer certain she wants to take over the family business and be beholden to the wealthy elite of D.C. But she can't fathom leaving her father in the lurch. There's also Evalyn to consider, and the Hope Diamond, which beckons Elisabeth to admire it, touch it, care for it, despite every warning she's been told.
When tragedy strikes one night, not only is Elisabeth's fragile friendship with Evalyn put to the test, but her carefully constructed glamorous new life comes crashing down. Now Elisabeth must face the truth about her brother's death and decide what matters most.
Pot Shot
Author Laura Piper Lee
Genres Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Medical Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Former valedictorian, current pothead, and perpetual overthinker, Nomi Wyeth is this close to opening her very own Amsterdam-style cannabis dispensary in the historic Strange Drugs Pharmacy building downtown. Former salutatorian, current doctor, and perpetual try-hard, Julian DโAngeloโs chronic failure to listen leads to a mistake that ruins his reputation and forces him to serve in Sparrow Nookโs family clinic, located next door to the Strange Drugs Pharmacy. But how is Julian supposed to be nice when the woman who stole both his valedictorian title and his heart is planning on opening some mangy weed palace for losers next to his clinic? Through zany zoning hearings and โpot luckโ fundraisers, free-spirited Nomi and straight-and-narrow Julian battle against each other all over Sparrow Nook, New Jersey, bringing up old rivalries and older flames in the process. Itโs tough to say what will change firstโtheir minds or their heartsโbut one thingโs for theyโre not going down without a fight.
This Is Me: A Reckoning
Author Hayden Panettiere
Genres Actor & Entertainer Biographies, Television Performer Biographies, Rich & Famous Biographies, Memoirs
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Heroes
and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere reclaims her story in a remarkably candid memoir.
Hayden Panettiereโs career in entertainment began before she could talk. From her first gig as a Michelin baby to roles in cult classics like Remember the Titans and Raising Helen, as well as popular soap operas Guiding Light and One Life to Live, Hayden built an impressive resume by the time she entered middle school. Throughout the early 2000s, she starred in millennial favorites like Racing Stripes, Heroes, and Scream 4 & VI and earned two Golden Globe nominations for her starring role of Juliette Barnes in Nashville. The squeaky-clean face of Neutrogena, she was Hollywoodโs girl next door and subjected to all the fame, attention, and expectations that came with it. In an era of relentless paparazzi with an appetite for celebrity breakdowns, naysayers were certain this young starlet would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did.
In this irreverent, intimate, and inspiring memoir, Hayden holds nothing back. What started as a fun job for a child took a decidedly darker turn as she came of age. She exposes the pressure and exploitation young stars face before theyโre old enough to know themselves, and how easy it is for them to lose control of their own narrative and, ultimately, their lives. Hayden was the target of brutal tabloid headlines picking apart her body, and she performed storylines onscreen that mirrored her real-life trauma. She suffered post-partum depression, addiction and recovery, domestic abuse, and the loss of her beloved little brother. Despite everything, Hayden managed to take these experiences, which she calls โlifequakes,โ and emerge from them stronger, no longer afraid to use her voice or show her true self. Sheโs played the part of a misfit hero, a superstar, a survivor, a cheerleader, and an all-American fresh face. In THIS IS ME, Hayden stars in her most heart-wrenching and unforgettable role herself. This is her story, on her terms.
Hayden Panettiereโs career in entertainment began before she could talk. From her first gig as a Michelin baby to roles in cult classics like Remember the Titans and Raising Helen, as well as popular soap operas Guiding Light and One Life to Live, Hayden built an impressive resume by the time she entered middle school. Throughout the early 2000s, she starred in millennial favorites like Racing Stripes, Heroes, and Scream 4 & VI and earned two Golden Globe nominations for her starring role of Juliette Barnes in Nashville. The squeaky-clean face of Neutrogena, she was Hollywoodโs girl next door and subjected to all the fame, attention, and expectations that came with it. In an era of relentless paparazzi with an appetite for celebrity breakdowns, naysayers were certain this young starlet would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did.
In this irreverent, intimate, and inspiring memoir, Hayden holds nothing back. What started as a fun job for a child took a decidedly darker turn as she came of age. She exposes the pressure and exploitation young stars face before theyโre old enough to know themselves, and how easy it is for them to lose control of their own narrative and, ultimately, their lives. Hayden was the target of brutal tabloid headlines picking apart her body, and she performed storylines onscreen that mirrored her real-life trauma. She suffered post-partum depression, addiction and recovery, domestic abuse, and the loss of her beloved little brother. Despite everything, Hayden managed to take these experiences, which she calls โlifequakes,โ and emerge from them stronger, no longer afraid to use her voice or show her true self. Sheโs played the part of a misfit hero, a superstar, a survivor, a cheerleader, and an all-American fresh face. In THIS IS ME, Hayden stars in her most heart-wrenching and unforgettable role herself. This is her story, on her terms.
Mortedant's Peril
Author RJ Barker
Genres Fantasy Action & Adventure, Ghost Mysteries, Gaslamp Fantasy, Action & Adventure Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
In a city of ancient automata, strange spirits, and sleeping gods, a cleric of death finds his own life on the line in this vividly imagined fantasy murder mystery from the acclaimed author of
The Bone Ships
and
Age of Assassins.
Irody Hasp is a Mortedant, a cleric tasked with reading the last thoughts of the deadโthough no one thanks him for it. No Mortedant is popular, but Irody is scarcely tolerated even by the other members of his own guild, and rarely selected for anything but the lowliest of jobs.
This impoverished existence would be dismal enoughโbut after reading the corpse of a low-level records keeper, Irody's troubles quickly multiply when his own apprentice is murdered, and all fingers point to him as a suspect. The only way to save his own skin is to find the real culprit himself, an investigation that quickly attracts powerful enemies with few scruples, and draws him into a plot that threatens the entire corrupt yet wondrous city he calls home.
Perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Foundryside, and Witness for the Dead, this investigative misadventure begins a perilous new series by award-winning author RJ Barker.
Irody Hasp is a Mortedant, a cleric tasked with reading the last thoughts of the deadโthough no one thanks him for it. No Mortedant is popular, but Irody is scarcely tolerated even by the other members of his own guild, and rarely selected for anything but the lowliest of jobs.
This impoverished existence would be dismal enoughโbut after reading the corpse of a low-level records keeper, Irody's troubles quickly multiply when his own apprentice is murdered, and all fingers point to him as a suspect. The only way to save his own skin is to find the real culprit himself, an investigation that quickly attracts powerful enemies with few scruples, and draws him into a plot that threatens the entire corrupt yet wondrous city he calls home.
Perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Foundryside, and Witness for the Dead, this investigative misadventure begins a perilous new series by award-winning author RJ Barker.
The Temptation of Charlotte North
Author Camilla Bruce
Genres Horror Occult & Supernatural, Gothic Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A rebellious young woman desperate to escape her predetermined life joins forces with an unlikely allyโa sinister spiritโin this dark gothic fantasy from the acclaimed author of
At the Bottom of the Garden
.
Be careful what you wish for. It might come true....
In 1910, on a small, remote island that boasts more sheep than people, life does not hold a lot of promise for spirited Charlotte North. Her only escape from both this insular community and a family who does not understand her seems to be through marriageโan institution she is not at all eager to join, given the unhappiness of her parents' own union. Plus, eligible suitors are few and far between, which is why Charlotte has fallen hard for one the few outsiders to join their community in recent the handsomeโand likewise unhappily marriedโnew priest.
And then an ancient tower once rumored to have imprisoned a witchโor an unfaithful wifeโcrumbles, and releases . . . something. A restless spirit that knocks inside the walls and sends household objects flying. A spirit that seems to have an affinity for Charlotte herself. Though many on the island are terrified of this new interloper, Charlotte sees in it potential. Power. And perhaps even a way to get everything she has most wanted out of life.
Be careful what you wish for. It might come true....
In 1910, on a small, remote island that boasts more sheep than people, life does not hold a lot of promise for spirited Charlotte North. Her only escape from both this insular community and a family who does not understand her seems to be through marriageโan institution she is not at all eager to join, given the unhappiness of her parents' own union. Plus, eligible suitors are few and far between, which is why Charlotte has fallen hard for one the few outsiders to join their community in recent the handsomeโand likewise unhappily marriedโnew priest.
And then an ancient tower once rumored to have imprisoned a witchโor an unfaithful wifeโcrumbles, and releases . . . something. A restless spirit that knocks inside the walls and sends household objects flying. A spirit that seems to have an affinity for Charlotte herself. Though many on the island are terrified of this new interloper, Charlotte sees in it potential. Power. And perhaps even a way to get everything she has most wanted out of life.
A Perfect Hand
Author Ayelet Waldman
Genres Historical British & Irish Literature, British & Irish Humor & Satire, Fiction Satire, Humorous Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A richly drawn, captivating, and endlessly amusing novel of love and subterfuge between a ladyโs maid and her clandestine lover, set in the country estates of nineteenth-century England.
Miss Alice Lockey, daughter of a tenant farmer, has by dint of hard work, innate intelligence, and a cunning ability to predict the moods of her betters, raised herself to the lofty status of ladyโs maid at Alderwick Park. Though her mother has advised Alice to work only until marriage, Alice has thus far resisted the temptations of matrimony among the neighboring widowers and pig farmers, more content to enjoy the fruits of her laborโor at least the portion of it her father will share after it is paid to him. Alice spends her days arranging Lady Jemima Alderwickโs blond hair into the latest French styles, chignons and plaits, laundering her ladyโs surprisingly malodorous petticoats and drawers, and carefully sewing all manner of fripperies, ribbons, lace, and silk flowers, to her ladyโs bonnets and gowns.
But when a visiting servant, a valet named Charlie Wells, catches her eye, Alice begins to understand the constraints of her position. In a ploy to spend time with the object of her affection, Alice attempts to arrange a romance between Lady Jemima Alderwick and Charlieโs employer, one Baronet Sir Nigel Wynstowe. If only they would fall in loveโthen Alice and Charlie might live together as man and wife! Challenged by Lady Jemimaโs love for another and Sir Wynstoweโs eccentric personality, Alice must use all of her cunning to bring about this unlikely romantic union. Will this low-born servant successfully manipulate the hearts of these lords and ladies? Will Charlie and Alice ever improve their stations? Or, as the beginning of womenโs suffrage begins to percolate in the drawing rooms and salons of London, will Alice discover a different sort of path for herself?
A deliciously funny, gorgeously detailed, utter enthralling novel, A Perfect Hand is a glorious novel of class, gender, and England on the cusp of enormous change.
Miss Alice Lockey, daughter of a tenant farmer, has by dint of hard work, innate intelligence, and a cunning ability to predict the moods of her betters, raised herself to the lofty status of ladyโs maid at Alderwick Park. Though her mother has advised Alice to work only until marriage, Alice has thus far resisted the temptations of matrimony among the neighboring widowers and pig farmers, more content to enjoy the fruits of her laborโor at least the portion of it her father will share after it is paid to him. Alice spends her days arranging Lady Jemima Alderwickโs blond hair into the latest French styles, chignons and plaits, laundering her ladyโs surprisingly malodorous petticoats and drawers, and carefully sewing all manner of fripperies, ribbons, lace, and silk flowers, to her ladyโs bonnets and gowns.
But when a visiting servant, a valet named Charlie Wells, catches her eye, Alice begins to understand the constraints of her position. In a ploy to spend time with the object of her affection, Alice attempts to arrange a romance between Lady Jemima Alderwick and Charlieโs employer, one Baronet Sir Nigel Wynstowe. If only they would fall in loveโthen Alice and Charlie might live together as man and wife! Challenged by Lady Jemimaโs love for another and Sir Wynstoweโs eccentric personality, Alice must use all of her cunning to bring about this unlikely romantic union. Will this low-born servant successfully manipulate the hearts of these lords and ladies? Will Charlie and Alice ever improve their stations? Or, as the beginning of womenโs suffrage begins to percolate in the drawing rooms and salons of London, will Alice discover a different sort of path for herself?
A deliciously funny, gorgeously detailed, utter enthralling novel, A Perfect Hand is a glorious novel of class, gender, and England on the cusp of enormous change.
I'm Gonna Get You Back
Author Eva Des Lauriers
Genres Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Emotions & Feelings, Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Fiction, Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
OUT FOR REVENGE. IN IT FOR LOVE.
Small-town scandals, explosive secrets and friendship fallouts threaten to tear Clara and Reid apart - all over again . . .
Reid Rousseau was always a winner. Now, he's a former state champion runner with an injury no one can know about and a college scholarship on the line. When he's invited as the guest of honor for Legacy Weekend, a competitive tradition that welcomes high school alumni back to his small mountain town, Reid would rather run away than face his crumbling future-and the girl who broke his heart.
Clara Suarez's legacy can't be failure. A year out of high school and aimless, she has one last shot at getting into her dream film school shooting a Legacy Weekend video interviewing her former classmates-including her ex, Reid-about their explosive senior year and the scandal that capped it off. But any time people return to the mountain, drama follows... especially when an anonymous social media account starts airing everyone's dirty laundry.
Reid isn't the only one hiding something, and Clara isn't the only one with regrets. Their spark is still strong enough to set off a wildfire, but their secrets might just tear them apart for good.
A second-chance love story from Eva des Lauriers, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Tillie Cole, and Jenny Han.
Small-town scandals, explosive secrets and friendship fallouts threaten to tear Clara and Reid apart - all over again . . .
Reid Rousseau was always a winner. Now, he's a former state champion runner with an injury no one can know about and a college scholarship on the line. When he's invited as the guest of honor for Legacy Weekend, a competitive tradition that welcomes high school alumni back to his small mountain town, Reid would rather run away than face his crumbling future-and the girl who broke his heart.
Clara Suarez's legacy can't be failure. A year out of high school and aimless, she has one last shot at getting into her dream film school shooting a Legacy Weekend video interviewing her former classmates-including her ex, Reid-about their explosive senior year and the scandal that capped it off. But any time people return to the mountain, drama follows... especially when an anonymous social media account starts airing everyone's dirty laundry.
Reid isn't the only one hiding something, and Clara isn't the only one with regrets. Their spark is still strong enough to set off a wildfire, but their secrets might just tear them apart for good.
A second-chance love story from Eva des Lauriers, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Tillie Cole, and Jenny Han.
Double Happiness
Author Heather Eng
Genres Comedic Dramas & Plays, Genre Literature & Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Women's Friendship Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Caught between a relentless tech job, her adoring fiancรฉ, and an unexpected new flame, Mei must learn what it means to choose herself
When Mei Li runs into Alexandre Brodeur at a family function, thereโs no denying their chemistry. It turns out Alexandre, whose brother is married to Meiโs younger sister, is back in town rebuilding his life after two decades toiling away in academic research. Somehow, Alexandreโs different from the young scientist Mei met years ago. His intelligent eyes and quiet air of mystery have a magnetic effect, drawing her in like never before.
But Meiโs carefully constructed life has no room for Alexandre. Sheโs engaged to Joey, a fellow Queens native who keeps her grounded as she pulls eighty-hour weeks at Livin, the tech worldโs hottest startup. After a childhood marked by financial and emotional turmoil, Mei finally has the stability sheโs always craved.
In Meiโs brief moments away from her crushing workload, Alexandre is an uncomfortably enticing presence. It doesnโt take long for their thoughtful conversations and his electric gaze to get under her skin, leaving Mei to wonder what she really wants in work, life, and love.
With her wedding date fast approaching, Mei has to make an impossible choice between two very different men. And after she does, she still must figure out what it truly means to have it all.
When Mei Li runs into Alexandre Brodeur at a family function, thereโs no denying their chemistry. It turns out Alexandre, whose brother is married to Meiโs younger sister, is back in town rebuilding his life after two decades toiling away in academic research. Somehow, Alexandreโs different from the young scientist Mei met years ago. His intelligent eyes and quiet air of mystery have a magnetic effect, drawing her in like never before.
But Meiโs carefully constructed life has no room for Alexandre. Sheโs engaged to Joey, a fellow Queens native who keeps her grounded as she pulls eighty-hour weeks at Livin, the tech worldโs hottest startup. After a childhood marked by financial and emotional turmoil, Mei finally has the stability sheโs always craved.
In Meiโs brief moments away from her crushing workload, Alexandre is an uncomfortably enticing presence. It doesnโt take long for their thoughtful conversations and his electric gaze to get under her skin, leaving Mei to wonder what she really wants in work, life, and love.
With her wedding date fast approaching, Mei has to make an impossible choice between two very different men. And after she does, she still must figure out what it truly means to have it all.
Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet
Author Emma Mills
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Traditional Detective Mysteries, Women Sleuths, Cozy Mysteries
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Celebrity gossip can cut to the quick, but when it turns deadly itโs up to an aspiring reporter and her quirky neighbors to close the case in the first of a witty and nostalgic new mystery series.
Baby doll top, gladiator sandals, and fully loaded iPod at the readyโitโs 2008 in Los Angeles, and Rachel West is a little less starry-eyed than your average ingenue. Thereโs never been a better time to be an entertainment journalist, but the road to writing glossy profiles starts with copyediting a celeb gossip rag. Hey, it pays her bills. Most of them, at least.
Everything changes when Rachel befriends Molly Byrneโformer child star and current tabloid fave due to her drunken escapades and rotating cast of boyfriendsโin a nightclub bathroom.
When Molly is found dead, all of Hollywood accepts her death as an overdose. But Rachel knows for a fact her friend was clean, so when Mollyโs favorite paparazzo, Casper, tells her he thinks Molly was murdered, she believes him.
With the help of a ragtag group of residents from her apartment building, a handsome detective, and her trusty flip phone, Rachel must solve the mystery of Mollyโs death before sheโs written off for good.
Baby doll top, gladiator sandals, and fully loaded iPod at the readyโitโs 2008 in Los Angeles, and Rachel West is a little less starry-eyed than your average ingenue. Thereโs never been a better time to be an entertainment journalist, but the road to writing glossy profiles starts with copyediting a celeb gossip rag. Hey, it pays her bills. Most of them, at least.
Everything changes when Rachel befriends Molly Byrneโformer child star and current tabloid fave due to her drunken escapades and rotating cast of boyfriendsโin a nightclub bathroom.
When Molly is found dead, all of Hollywood accepts her death as an overdose. But Rachel knows for a fact her friend was clean, so when Mollyโs favorite paparazzo, Casper, tells her he thinks Molly was murdered, she believes him.
With the help of a ragtag group of residents from her apartment building, a handsome detective, and her trusty flip phone, Rachel must solve the mystery of Mollyโs death before sheโs written off for good.
Returns and Exchanges
Author Kayla Rae Whitaker
Genres Family Life Fiction, Southern Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A sweeping novel of one Kentucky familyโs rise and fall throughout the 1980sโa tragicomic tour de force about love and marriage, parents and children, and the perils of mixing family with business, from the acclaimed author of The Animators
It's December 24, 1979, just before closing at Baker-Taylor's, and Fran (nรฉe Baker) is surveying her domain. Her husband, Fred, is charming customers in the front of the store, while last-minute shoppers in the toy aisle are fighting over the lone remaining Atari. The older Taylor kids are on register, while the younger onesโ chaos is contained to the stockroom. All is right in the world as the new decade approaches.
With four healthy children and financial stability their own parents could have only dreamed of, Fred and Fran are the picture of the American Dreamโrags to richesโwith a family-owned chain of successful discount department stores built on years of hard work and long hours. Underneath the surface, however, the business is changing at a breakneck pace, and each member of the family is struggling to keep up.
Money is transforming Fred, and the extremes he will go to in order to fit in with Lexington, Kentuckyโs slicked-back high society crowd are embarrassing, if not downright dangerous. Oldest son Josiah wants nothing to do with the family business, Sam is seeing things that might not really be there, and Benny and Birdie are growing up with a fraction of the parenting that their older brothers did. Meanwhile, Fran, her familyโs stable core, is falling for Wendy, a cashier at Baker-Taylor's, risking everything along the way. While trying to maintain the facade of a perfect success story, Fred and Fran learn that in matters of love and money, once it's gone, itโs goneโno returns, no exchanges.
It's December 24, 1979, just before closing at Baker-Taylor's, and Fran (nรฉe Baker) is surveying her domain. Her husband, Fred, is charming customers in the front of the store, while last-minute shoppers in the toy aisle are fighting over the lone remaining Atari. The older Taylor kids are on register, while the younger onesโ chaos is contained to the stockroom. All is right in the world as the new decade approaches.
With four healthy children and financial stability their own parents could have only dreamed of, Fred and Fran are the picture of the American Dreamโrags to richesโwith a family-owned chain of successful discount department stores built on years of hard work and long hours. Underneath the surface, however, the business is changing at a breakneck pace, and each member of the family is struggling to keep up.
Money is transforming Fred, and the extremes he will go to in order to fit in with Lexington, Kentuckyโs slicked-back high society crowd are embarrassing, if not downright dangerous. Oldest son Josiah wants nothing to do with the family business, Sam is seeing things that might not really be there, and Benny and Birdie are growing up with a fraction of the parenting that their older brothers did. Meanwhile, Fran, her familyโs stable core, is falling for Wendy, a cashier at Baker-Taylor's, risking everything along the way. While trying to maintain the facade of a perfect success story, Fred and Fran learn that in matters of love and money, once it's gone, itโs goneโno returns, no exchanges.
Summer Husband
Author Amy Lorowitz
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Later in Life Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A compelling blend of sexy and nostalgic, this summer camp romance follows thirty-nine-year-old mom Lori Kramer as she finds out youโre never too old to learn the life lessonsโor experience the romancesโthat sleepaway camp has to offer.
Is thirty-nine too old to get your first sleepaway camp kiss?
Lori Kramer, a stay-at-home mom, would go to any length to give her two daughters the summer experience of their livesโeven getting a job at their camp and tagging along with them.
At Camp Woodlands, Lori finds herself overseeing the chaos of four bunks filled with rambunctious kids and their counselors, not to mention having to outwit her boss and outrun a bearโand thatโs just during the first half of the summer! But those escapades are childโs play compared to her growing friendship and attraction to Teddy, the campโs British soccer coach. Their clandestine meetings late at night behind the laundry shack, breaking the no-smoking rule, soon turn hot and steamy like a lazy August afternoon.
Camp may be for kids, but Loriโs the one having the most fun. She never imagined that stepping outside of her conventional, underappreciated, New York City existence would turn her world upside down and change her life forever.
Is thirty-nine too old to get your first sleepaway camp kiss?
Lori Kramer, a stay-at-home mom, would go to any length to give her two daughters the summer experience of their livesโeven getting a job at their camp and tagging along with them.
At Camp Woodlands, Lori finds herself overseeing the chaos of four bunks filled with rambunctious kids and their counselors, not to mention having to outwit her boss and outrun a bearโand thatโs just during the first half of the summer! But those escapades are childโs play compared to her growing friendship and attraction to Teddy, the campโs British soccer coach. Their clandestine meetings late at night behind the laundry shack, breaking the no-smoking rule, soon turn hot and steamy like a lazy August afternoon.
Camp may be for kids, but Loriโs the one having the most fun. She never imagined that stepping outside of her conventional, underappreciated, New York City existence would turn her world upside down and change her life forever.
A Star-Cursed Heart
Author Annie Mare
Genres LGBTQ+ Books, Genre Literature & Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Enemies to Lovers Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Two women are cursed to be mortal enemies, despite their love for each other, in this queer, fantastical novel by Annie Mare.
In the lead-up to the Salem witch trials, a desperate man made a deal with the devilโa deal that would drag two families down with him. Now, over 400 years later, the Steadfasts and the Prynnes remain caught in a curse that sentences both families to an existence of rigid rules, torturous consequences, and half-lives.
Lucy Prynne and Ashes Steadfast are the latest to take on the mantle of this centuries-old deal: Lucy, born to try to reap the souls of the hopeful; and Ashes, born to stop Lucy, no matter the cost. But before they inherited their respective curses, it sure felt like Ashโs purpose was Lucy. Her best friend, her closest confidant, her true love.
Ash knows the rules. She keeps her head down, her emotions in check, and she fights Lucy, no matter the personal cost. They are doomed to an incessant battle between good and bad, self-righteous and carnal.
Or so Ash thinks. But when she resists her instincts to fight Lucy and finally starts to fight the curse instead, she realizes there might just be a way to end this once and for all. If not in this timeline, then the next. As generational secrets begin to unravel, Ashes and Lucy join forces against the true threat that has haunted their families for centuries, even if it costs them their livesโand their love.
In the lead-up to the Salem witch trials, a desperate man made a deal with the devilโa deal that would drag two families down with him. Now, over 400 years later, the Steadfasts and the Prynnes remain caught in a curse that sentences both families to an existence of rigid rules, torturous consequences, and half-lives.
Lucy Prynne and Ashes Steadfast are the latest to take on the mantle of this centuries-old deal: Lucy, born to try to reap the souls of the hopeful; and Ashes, born to stop Lucy, no matter the cost. But before they inherited their respective curses, it sure felt like Ashโs purpose was Lucy. Her best friend, her closest confidant, her true love.
Ash knows the rules. She keeps her head down, her emotions in check, and she fights Lucy, no matter the personal cost. They are doomed to an incessant battle between good and bad, self-righteous and carnal.
Or so Ash thinks. But when she resists her instincts to fight Lucy and finally starts to fight the curse instead, she realizes there might just be a way to end this once and for all. If not in this timeline, then the next. As generational secrets begin to unravel, Ashes and Lucy join forces against the true threat that has haunted their families for centuries, even if it costs them their livesโand their love.
Views
Author Marc-Uwe Kling
Genres Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Crime
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Black Mirror meets Stieg Larsson in Views, a compulsive thriller that explores the toxic relationship between technology and humanity, and the fallout after unthinkable lines are crossed.
Sixteen-year-old Lena Palmer has gone missing when a violent video of her assault by masked men goes viral. Yashira, chief inspector at the German FBI, has been put in charge of the case. As a single mother of a sixteen-year-old girl herself, Yashira is deeply affected by the crime and swears she will do everything in her power to find Lena Palmer. Surely the video must contain clues. Who are these people? Why would they commit such a horrible crime?
Together with her partner Michael they follow all the usual suspects. Lenaโs father. Her boyfriend. Her friends. Nothing in this case seems to follow any of the usual patterns. Far-right groups are quickly taking matters into their own hands. Yashira is running out of time, but it feels like sheโs chasing a ghost.
The House of Now and Then
Author Edward Underhill
Genres LGBTQ+ Literature & Fiction, LGBTQ+ Science Fiction & Fantasy, Genre Literature & Fiction, Time Travel Romances
Publication Date May 19, 2026
""The kind of book that feels like home. A brand-new all-time favorite.โ โ Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Amelia, If Only
From the author of The In-Between Bookstore , the sweet, unforgettable story of a trans man in his thirties who books a Cape Cod cottage for one lonely summerโonly to have its magic bring him visitors from the past and romance where he least expects it, perfect for fans of TJ Klune and Ashley Poston.
Harlowe could use a break. With his academic future over, just like his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Jackson, a suspiciously cheap summer rental on the Cape feels like just the escape he needs.
But when he arrives at the picturesque seaside cottage, heโs alarmed to find his discouraging old professor in the living room. His father making coffee in the kitchen. And a handsome young repairman fixing things in the bedroom. Worst of all, Jackson is in the bathroom. None of them will leave. No one else can see them. And they wonโt leave him alone.
The house isnโt magic only for Harlowe, and as the summer grows hot and thick with tourists, old wounds and fresh secretsโboth in and outside its wallsโbegin to transform him. Itโs clear the house is trying to tell him something, and heโs sure it has to do with the mysterious repairman who suddenly seems to be everywhere he looksโฆ But can Harlowe let go of the past long enough to listen?
Evoking all the windswept dunes and Fourth of July fireworks of a perfect Cape Cod day, The House of Now and Then asks who you would find, if all your unfinished business was just behind one door.
From the author of The In-Between Bookstore , the sweet, unforgettable story of a trans man in his thirties who books a Cape Cod cottage for one lonely summerโonly to have its magic bring him visitors from the past and romance where he least expects it, perfect for fans of TJ Klune and Ashley Poston.
Harlowe could use a break. With his academic future over, just like his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Jackson, a suspiciously cheap summer rental on the Cape feels like just the escape he needs.
But when he arrives at the picturesque seaside cottage, heโs alarmed to find his discouraging old professor in the living room. His father making coffee in the kitchen. And a handsome young repairman fixing things in the bedroom. Worst of all, Jackson is in the bathroom. None of them will leave. No one else can see them. And they wonโt leave him alone.
The house isnโt magic only for Harlowe, and as the summer grows hot and thick with tourists, old wounds and fresh secretsโboth in and outside its wallsโbegin to transform him. Itโs clear the house is trying to tell him something, and heโs sure it has to do with the mysterious repairman who suddenly seems to be everywhere he looksโฆ But can Harlowe let go of the past long enough to listen?
Evoking all the windswept dunes and Fourth of July fireworks of a perfect Cape Cod day, The House of Now and Then asks who you would find, if all your unfinished business was just behind one door.
Decomposition Book
Author Sara van Os
Genres Self-Help & Psychology Humor, LGBTQ+ Coming of Age Fiction, LGBTQ+ Horror Fiction, LGBTQ+ Humorous Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
"A slippery page-turner that's as profoundly beautiful as it is totally unhinged."
โRachel Harrison, New York Times bestselling author of Play Nice and So Thirsty
"Intense, irreverent, surprising, raw."
โNatalia Theodoridou, author of Sour Cherry
An emotional, electrifying, and darkly hilarious debut about a woman who finds a dead body and canโt give up its ghost, for fans of Mona Awad, Yellowjackets, and weird girl fiction.
Spiraling from a disastrous falling-out with her best friend, Savannah retreats to her parentsโ empty lake house in upstate New York to tend her wounds. Isolated and reeling from rejection, she spends her days in a fog, drinking and overthinking in equal worrisome measure. Until she wakes up one morning in the woods behind the houseโnext to a dead body.
Instead of calling the police, Savannah reads the journal she finds nearby, reliving the last desperate months of this womanโs life lost in the wilderness, fighting for survival. Ava, as it turns out, is more than just a cold, lonely corpse. She was funny. She was smart. And Savannah has finally found someone she can talk toโฆ
As she pushes deeper into Avaโs harrowing story, Savannah notices a change, a shift in her reality. Each page brings her closer to the Ava from the journalโฆand the ghost before her now. Before long, Savannah feels something for Ava she hasnโt felt for anyone elseโand thereโs a good chance letting go would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Is Savannah finally losing her grip? Or has she found the friend sheโs needed all along?
โRachel Harrison, New York Times bestselling author of Play Nice and So Thirsty
"Intense, irreverent, surprising, raw."
โNatalia Theodoridou, author of Sour Cherry
An emotional, electrifying, and darkly hilarious debut about a woman who finds a dead body and canโt give up its ghost, for fans of Mona Awad, Yellowjackets, and weird girl fiction.
Spiraling from a disastrous falling-out with her best friend, Savannah retreats to her parentsโ empty lake house in upstate New York to tend her wounds. Isolated and reeling from rejection, she spends her days in a fog, drinking and overthinking in equal worrisome measure. Until she wakes up one morning in the woods behind the houseโnext to a dead body.
Instead of calling the police, Savannah reads the journal she finds nearby, reliving the last desperate months of this womanโs life lost in the wilderness, fighting for survival. Ava, as it turns out, is more than just a cold, lonely corpse. She was funny. She was smart. And Savannah has finally found someone she can talk toโฆ
As she pushes deeper into Avaโs harrowing story, Savannah notices a change, a shift in her reality. Each page brings her closer to the Ava from the journalโฆand the ghost before her now. Before long, Savannah feels something for Ava she hasnโt felt for anyone elseโand thereโs a good chance letting go would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Is Savannah finally losing her grip? Or has she found the friend sheโs needed all along?
The Gulf of Lions
Author Caitlin Shetterly
Genres Family Life Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Mothers & Children Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From the acclaimed author of Pete and Alice in Maine, comes a standalone and evocative sequel about a mother who, recovering from the trauma of breast cancer and a mastectomy, takes a once-in-a-lifetime trip across France with her two daughters, determined to fully live. There, she finds herself newly awakened by beauty and desire but when the trip takes a turn for the worst, she must decide between a life of pleasure or the deep tethering of family.
Reconciling with her husband after a betrayal and recovering from a yearlong battle with breast cancer, Alice longs for an escape from the trials of everyday life. When the opportunity arises for a once-in-a-lifetime camping trip across France, she packs up her daughters, hoping itโs the new start she so desperately needs.
Alice, teenage Sophie, and young Iris begin their odyssey in the French Alps, entering a foreign world they did not know existed: beautiful people, luscious food, and sensual temptations. Itโs a freeing experienceโexploring the countryside, sleeping beneath the stars, reveling in the sights and scents of nature. For the first time since her diagnosis, Alice starts to feel alive, less afraid of dying, and less angry about her husband's affair.
But as the family continues south, traveling through Provence, where they camp on the Gulf of Lions, an area of the Mediterranean known for wild, roaring winds and purple fields of lavender, they start to unravel the yarn that binds them together. By the time they head to the charred Pyrenees, and then back across France to stay in a castle that sits on the confluence of two rivers, Alice worries that the trip might have been a disastrous and reckless mistake.
A beautiful meditation on womanhood, personhood, exploration, survival and sexual awakenings, The Gulf of Lions is a breathtaking and emotionally resonant story that plumbs the eternal question: What, in the end, will keep a family from falling apart?
Reconciling with her husband after a betrayal and recovering from a yearlong battle with breast cancer, Alice longs for an escape from the trials of everyday life. When the opportunity arises for a once-in-a-lifetime camping trip across France, she packs up her daughters, hoping itโs the new start she so desperately needs.
Alice, teenage Sophie, and young Iris begin their odyssey in the French Alps, entering a foreign world they did not know existed: beautiful people, luscious food, and sensual temptations. Itโs a freeing experienceโexploring the countryside, sleeping beneath the stars, reveling in the sights and scents of nature. For the first time since her diagnosis, Alice starts to feel alive, less afraid of dying, and less angry about her husband's affair.
But as the family continues south, traveling through Provence, where they camp on the Gulf of Lions, an area of the Mediterranean known for wild, roaring winds and purple fields of lavender, they start to unravel the yarn that binds them together. By the time they head to the charred Pyrenees, and then back across France to stay in a castle that sits on the confluence of two rivers, Alice worries that the trip might have been a disastrous and reckless mistake.
A beautiful meditation on womanhood, personhood, exploration, survival and sexual awakenings, The Gulf of Lions is a breathtaking and emotionally resonant story that plumbs the eternal question: What, in the end, will keep a family from falling apart?
Both Can Be True
Author Jessica Guerrieri
Genres Family Life Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Suburban Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Two sisters reconnect on a long-overdue girls' trip to Mexicoโjust as a woman from their small town back home goes missing, setting off a chain of revelations that forces them to confront old traumas, fractured marriages, and the fragile threads holding their lives together.
Told in alternating perspectives, Both Can Be True follows Mare and Frankieโtwo sisters in their late thirties navigating motherhood, marriage, and identity in a post-pandemic world. Mare is the hyper-responsible older sister, mother of a neurodivergent preschooler, and married to a husband who's long since checked out. Frankie is a charismatic, sober bookstore owner raising two teenage daughters and struggling to maintain boundaries between her sobriety, motherhood, and the messy realities of womanhood.
Together with three friends, they embark on a girls' trip to Mexico to celebrate Frankie's ten-year sobriety milestone. But back home, their husbands go camping and stumble upon what they believe might be the body of Brie Hooverโa woman from their town and Frankie's AA circle. What follows is a slow unraveling of secrets and shifting loyalties, set against the backdrop of a deeply rooted female friendship.
As the sisters reckon with the emotional weight of caregiving, trauma, and who they've become outside their roles as mothers and wives, Both Can Be True Can we be good mothers and still want more? Can we love our partners and still feel trapped? And what happens when the support systems we've so carefully constructed start to crack?
Told in alternating perspectives, Both Can Be True follows Mare and Frankieโtwo sisters in their late thirties navigating motherhood, marriage, and identity in a post-pandemic world. Mare is the hyper-responsible older sister, mother of a neurodivergent preschooler, and married to a husband who's long since checked out. Frankie is a charismatic, sober bookstore owner raising two teenage daughters and struggling to maintain boundaries between her sobriety, motherhood, and the messy realities of womanhood.
Together with three friends, they embark on a girls' trip to Mexico to celebrate Frankie's ten-year sobriety milestone. But back home, their husbands go camping and stumble upon what they believe might be the body of Brie Hooverโa woman from their town and Frankie's AA circle. What follows is a slow unraveling of secrets and shifting loyalties, set against the backdrop of a deeply rooted female friendship.
As the sisters reckon with the emotional weight of caregiving, trauma, and who they've become outside their roles as mothers and wives, Both Can Be True Can we be good mothers and still want more? Can we love our partners and still feel trapped? And what happens when the support systems we've so carefully constructed start to crack?
Running Home to You
Author Samantha Saldivar
Genres LGBTQ+ Books, Genre Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
In this sweeping sapphic sports romance, two college softball stars compete for each otherโs heartsโif only they can get past their fear of striking outโfrom the author of Play You For It.
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, it seems the only thing she and Kate Hutchins have in common is their love of the game. Abbyโs raw talent and reckless behavior threaten Kateโs carefully controlled world, especially when their coach assigns Kate the unwelcome task of tutoring her rival.
As they learn to work together, they discover their differences are exactly what theyโve been missing off the field. Kate provides Abby with a sense of home after loss and grief. Abby, meanwhile, helps Kate embrace a freedom sheโs never known because of her strict religious upbringing. As they chase a national title, itโs not long before the same love they have for the game grows for each other.
But much like on the diamond, their relationship requires perfect timing. While they try and fail to get it right over the next decade, the game keeps bringing them back togetherโfrom Puerto Rico to Tokyo, through courtrooms, churches, and Las Vegas casinosโas they fight to shake the weight of generational curses. But when an alumni game returns them to their college field, they must decide if itโs really the love of the game calling them home, or the one in their hearts that theyโve never been able to let go.
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, it seems the only thing she and Kate Hutchins have in common is their love of the game. Abbyโs raw talent and reckless behavior threaten Kateโs carefully controlled world, especially when their coach assigns Kate the unwelcome task of tutoring her rival.
As they learn to work together, they discover their differences are exactly what theyโve been missing off the field. Kate provides Abby with a sense of home after loss and grief. Abby, meanwhile, helps Kate embrace a freedom sheโs never known because of her strict religious upbringing. As they chase a national title, itโs not long before the same love they have for the game grows for each other.
But much like on the diamond, their relationship requires perfect timing. While they try and fail to get it right over the next decade, the game keeps bringing them back togetherโfrom Puerto Rico to Tokyo, through courtrooms, churches, and Las Vegas casinosโas they fight to shake the weight of generational curses. But when an alumni game returns them to their college field, they must decide if itโs really the love of the game calling them home, or the one in their hearts that theyโve never been able to let go.
The Island Bakeshop
Author Guideposts
Genres Contemporary Women Fiction, Contemporary Christian Romance, Contemporary Christian Fiction, Clean & Wholesome Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Come back to the sun-drenched shores of the Outer Banks and immerse yourself in another exciting and inspiring tale from Roseanna M. White, The Island Bakeshop. This dual-timeline, clean romance will have you reading late into the night to find out what happens next.
In this uplifting story of hope and renewal, youโll meet Harper Dailey, who returns to Avon, North Carolina, so she can help run the family business, Sunshine Bakery, after her fatherโs heart attack. Suddenly, her thriving career at an upscale Savannah bakery is behind her, as is her rocky relationship with her ex-boyfriendโthat is, until he shows up in Avon, letting her know he now owns the building the shop is in, and he may not renew the lease.
For Beckett Mills, Avon is a quiet refuge after his eight years of active service in the Navy. He works as hard at keeping folks at armโs length as he does at running his fishing charter business. His plan for distancing himself from others works well until the fateful day he enters the bakery and sees a beautiful Harper being harassed by her ex-boyfriend. Suddenly, he casts his fears aside and steps in to save the day.
Harper and Beckett have no intentions of beginning a romance, but when the pasts they are running from collide, they know itโs not just a coincidence that they have ended up here at the same time. God has placed them together for a reason. Can Beckett let go of the worries that haunt him and welcome Harper into his life? Will Harper realize she can face any challenge with Godโand just maybe Beckettโby her side? Donโt miss this faith-filled story of hope, courage, and the grace to begin anew.
A must-read for fans
Inspirational, clean romanceSmall-town Christian fictionContemporary fiction with faith and heartSecond chance love storiesThe Island Bookshop by Roseanna M. WhiteAuthors like Denise Hunter and Courtney Walsh
In this uplifting story of hope and renewal, youโll meet Harper Dailey, who returns to Avon, North Carolina, so she can help run the family business, Sunshine Bakery, after her fatherโs heart attack. Suddenly, her thriving career at an upscale Savannah bakery is behind her, as is her rocky relationship with her ex-boyfriendโthat is, until he shows up in Avon, letting her know he now owns the building the shop is in, and he may not renew the lease.
For Beckett Mills, Avon is a quiet refuge after his eight years of active service in the Navy. He works as hard at keeping folks at armโs length as he does at running his fishing charter business. His plan for distancing himself from others works well until the fateful day he enters the bakery and sees a beautiful Harper being harassed by her ex-boyfriend. Suddenly, he casts his fears aside and steps in to save the day.
Harper and Beckett have no intentions of beginning a romance, but when the pasts they are running from collide, they know itโs not just a coincidence that they have ended up here at the same time. God has placed them together for a reason. Can Beckett let go of the worries that haunt him and welcome Harper into his life? Will Harper realize she can face any challenge with Godโand just maybe Beckettโby her side? Donโt miss this faith-filled story of hope, courage, and the grace to begin anew.
A must-read for fans
Inspirational, clean romanceSmall-town Christian fictionContemporary fiction with faith and heartSecond chance love storiesThe Island Bookshop by Roseanna M. WhiteAuthors like Denise Hunter and Courtney Walsh
All Us Saints
Author Katherine Packert Burke
Genres LGBTQ+ Family Life Fiction, LGBTQ+ Literary Fiction, Family Life Fiction, Crime Thrillers
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From the author of the โvibrantly, brilliantly aliveโ (James Frankie Thomas) Still Life, a haunted family reenacts the violent night their lives changed forever.
Exactly 19 years ago, in May of 1992, 17-year-old Roland St. Cloud fatally stabbed his twin sister Edna's three best friends. The slaying became instant tabloid fodder leading to a bestselling true-crime book and horror movie franchise. Each year on the anniversary of her family's undoing, Edna reenacts the murders. She is joined by her husband, Roger, the night's definitive chronicler; her younger sister Calla, a failed playwright who spends her days lost in online gaming; her younger brother James and his girlfriend Heather; and her teenage daughter Wren. Together, the St. Cloud family seals the windows and doors of the house and lights a grim candle. After their macabre theatrics there's nothing to do but wait for dawn, talk among themselves, and remember.
All Us Saints is a literary family drama packaged as a two-act play. Behind the curtain, Packert Burke unveils Roland's childhood as a closeted trans girl in the early 90s and offers a brilliant and scathing commentary on the cisgender gaze.
Exactly 19 years ago, in May of 1992, 17-year-old Roland St. Cloud fatally stabbed his twin sister Edna's three best friends. The slaying became instant tabloid fodder leading to a bestselling true-crime book and horror movie franchise. Each year on the anniversary of her family's undoing, Edna reenacts the murders. She is joined by her husband, Roger, the night's definitive chronicler; her younger sister Calla, a failed playwright who spends her days lost in online gaming; her younger brother James and his girlfriend Heather; and her teenage daughter Wren. Together, the St. Cloud family seals the windows and doors of the house and lights a grim candle. After their macabre theatrics there's nothing to do but wait for dawn, talk among themselves, and remember.
All Us Saints is a literary family drama packaged as a two-act play. Behind the curtain, Packert Burke unveils Roland's childhood as a closeted trans girl in the early 90s and offers a brilliant and scathing commentary on the cisgender gaze.
It's Hard to Be an Animal
Author Robert Isaacs
Genres Animal Fiction, City Life Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
For readers of Shark Heart and Hollow Kingdom, a funny, magical, and tender debut novel following a lonely, conflict-averse man whose sudden ability to understand animals sends him on a wild romp around NYC, and ultimately helps him discover his own voice.
Strolling through Central Park on a blind date with the hilarious, irrepressible Molly Bent, Henry Parsons feels hopeful for the first time in years. Heโs even daring to wonder if he and Molly might have a future together... when a migratory warbler, the sweetest of little birds, tells him to f*** off.
A gentle soul, troubled enough by the unkindness of fellow humans, Henry tries to brush the moment aside as a hallucination. But soon heโs hearing voices dogs mocking their owners, sparrows fat-shaming each other, police horses profiling attendees at a street fair โ even a pontificating, misogynistic snake. The man who never speaks up for himself is now besieged by animals who do.
When (inevitably) he overhears three rats discussing a corpse in the New York subway, he lets it slip to Molly. Sheโs keen to investigate, and Henryโs desperate for a second date, so he follows her nervously into an abandoned tunnel under the West Fourth Street Station. There, sure enough, they find a body... and the murderers find them.
Cue the most terrifying week of this cautious manโs life. Inspiration and courage arrive, unexpectedly, from a pair of feuding betta fish and the neighborโs yapping Pomeranian โ whose wisdom will transform both Henry and Molly forever.
Strolling through Central Park on a blind date with the hilarious, irrepressible Molly Bent, Henry Parsons feels hopeful for the first time in years. Heโs even daring to wonder if he and Molly might have a future together... when a migratory warbler, the sweetest of little birds, tells him to f*** off.
A gentle soul, troubled enough by the unkindness of fellow humans, Henry tries to brush the moment aside as a hallucination. But soon heโs hearing voices dogs mocking their owners, sparrows fat-shaming each other, police horses profiling attendees at a street fair โ even a pontificating, misogynistic snake. The man who never speaks up for himself is now besieged by animals who do.
When (inevitably) he overhears three rats discussing a corpse in the New York subway, he lets it slip to Molly. Sheโs keen to investigate, and Henryโs desperate for a second date, so he follows her nervously into an abandoned tunnel under the West Fourth Street Station. There, sure enough, they find a body... and the murderers find them.
Cue the most terrifying week of this cautious manโs life. Inspiration and courage arrive, unexpectedly, from a pair of feuding betta fish and the neighborโs yapping Pomeranian โ whose wisdom will transform both Henry and Molly forever.
Startup Hell
Author Caitlin Rozakis
Genres Horror Occult & Supernatural, Contemporary Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy Books, Humorous Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A hilarious contemporary fantasy about a junior sales witch stuck in corporate hell, who has to evade devilish pacts and her kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying mum to save a (surprisingly hot) demon, and work out how to hit her quarterly target. From the New York Times-bestselling author of Dreadful and The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association.
Morgan Blackwater's mother is a kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying Shadow Council wizard. As for Morgan? Morgan's a junior salesperson at a tech startup that can't even decide what its product is. But with magic dyslexia and a disinclination to kick ass, Morgan is doing her best carving out a niche for herself in the mundane world.
Leaving work late one night, she discovers her boss dead from the effort of summoning a demon to trade his soul in order to make his quarterly target. The disturbingly-attractive demon, Lucareoth (Luke for short), is trapped here until he finds someone to sell their soul. While trying to sneak Luke out of the building, Morgan runs into her infamous mother. Apparently, someone has been summoning demons and she's here to get to the bottom of it.
Trying to protect Luke from her mother, Morgan gets sucked into the Infernal Plane and discovers hell really is a corporate nightmare. She only gets back home with a promise to deliver a human soul of her own. While her coworkers are really annoying, she's not willing to sacrifice their souls. The company's tech bro CEO, though, is another story.
With Caitlin Rozakis's signature wit, STARTUP HELL is a contemporary fantasy that exposes the demonic nature of the corporate world.
Morgan Blackwater's mother is a kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying Shadow Council wizard. As for Morgan? Morgan's a junior salesperson at a tech startup that can't even decide what its product is. But with magic dyslexia and a disinclination to kick ass, Morgan is doing her best carving out a niche for herself in the mundane world.
Leaving work late one night, she discovers her boss dead from the effort of summoning a demon to trade his soul in order to make his quarterly target. The disturbingly-attractive demon, Lucareoth (Luke for short), is trapped here until he finds someone to sell their soul. While trying to sneak Luke out of the building, Morgan runs into her infamous mother. Apparently, someone has been summoning demons and she's here to get to the bottom of it.
Trying to protect Luke from her mother, Morgan gets sucked into the Infernal Plane and discovers hell really is a corporate nightmare. She only gets back home with a promise to deliver a human soul of her own. While her coworkers are really annoying, she's not willing to sacrifice their souls. The company's tech bro CEO, though, is another story.
With Caitlin Rozakis's signature wit, STARTUP HELL is a contemporary fantasy that exposes the demonic nature of the corporate world.
Magician
Author Tracy Lynne Oliver
Genres Dark Fantasy, Cosmic & Eldritch Horror, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A dark magic debut novel featuring the Boy who becomes the Magician and the villainous Mother whose sadism might end it allโfor fans of Our Share of Night and The Changeling
The unnamed protagonist is born into a brutal childhood filled with unspeakable cruelties; the Boy only survives through a powerful magic that intervenes moments of need.
When he escapes, a circus troupe welcomes him into their chosen family and the Boy begins to imagine a life beyond survival. He discovers a new, whimsical potential for his magic and eagerly apprentices under the circusโs conjurerโonly to realize his gifts far outstrip his mentorโs illusions. As the Boyโs ambition takes control of his magic, he becomes the Magician, but at a cost. Looming is a primal threat, determined to end the Magician, his magic, and all he holds dear, forever.
With the immersive horror of Gerardo Sรกmano Cรณrdova and the fairytale cadence of Helen Oyeyemi, Tracy Lynne Oliverโs Magician welcomes readers into a spellbinding world of twisted patriarchal darkness and a powerful survival magic that threatens to consume everyone, including its wielder.
The unnamed protagonist is born into a brutal childhood filled with unspeakable cruelties; the Boy only survives through a powerful magic that intervenes moments of need.
When he escapes, a circus troupe welcomes him into their chosen family and the Boy begins to imagine a life beyond survival. He discovers a new, whimsical potential for his magic and eagerly apprentices under the circusโs conjurerโonly to realize his gifts far outstrip his mentorโs illusions. As the Boyโs ambition takes control of his magic, he becomes the Magician, but at a cost. Looming is a primal threat, determined to end the Magician, his magic, and all he holds dear, forever.
With the immersive horror of Gerardo Sรกmano Cรณrdova and the fairytale cadence of Helen Oyeyemi, Tracy Lynne Oliverโs Magician welcomes readers into a spellbinding world of twisted patriarchal darkness and a powerful survival magic that threatens to consume everyone, including its wielder.
Pollock's Last Lover
Author Stephen P Kiernan
Genres 20th Century Historical Fiction, Women's Literature & Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction Crime & Mystery
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Set in New York City in alternating time periodsโthe 1960s and the early 2000sโ
Pollockโs Last Lover
is the engrossing tale of two women whose lives collide as they contend with the art and legacy of the brilliant, tragic painter Jackson Pollock.
In 2006, Sothebyโs sells a painting by Jackson Pollock for $140 millionโthe highest sum ever paid for a work of art. Two weeks later, an older woman named Ruth Kligman, in high heels and a dusty fascinator, contacts a smaller, less prominent auction house to announce that she was Pollockโs lover, and that he gave her his last painting. She declares that it was selfish to keep it in her apartment for fifty years, and that people should see this masterpiece in galleries and museums the world over. The bidding will start at $50 million.
Gwen, an up-and-coming associate at the firm, is assigned the task of verifying the paintingโs authenticity. It is her biggest project yet, and the company must have absolute certainty. With every step she takes into the investigation, though, she finds larger questionsโabout Ruthโs cunning climb in the art world, and even about what caused Pollockโs sudden and violent death.
What follows, in alternating chapters and time periods, is a multigenerational portrait of womenโs ambition set against the life and work of Jackson Pollock. From smoky Greenwich Village dive bars to glitzy art auctions, from the empty studio of a man once known for his artistic stamina to the fine museums where his works hang, Ruthโs controversial painting is a window into two erasโand the ongoing struggle of women to develop power and freedom on their own terms.
In 2006, Sothebyโs sells a painting by Jackson Pollock for $140 millionโthe highest sum ever paid for a work of art. Two weeks later, an older woman named Ruth Kligman, in high heels and a dusty fascinator, contacts a smaller, less prominent auction house to announce that she was Pollockโs lover, and that he gave her his last painting. She declares that it was selfish to keep it in her apartment for fifty years, and that people should see this masterpiece in galleries and museums the world over. The bidding will start at $50 million.
Gwen, an up-and-coming associate at the firm, is assigned the task of verifying the paintingโs authenticity. It is her biggest project yet, and the company must have absolute certainty. With every step she takes into the investigation, though, she finds larger questionsโabout Ruthโs cunning climb in the art world, and even about what caused Pollockโs sudden and violent death.
What follows, in alternating chapters and time periods, is a multigenerational portrait of womenโs ambition set against the life and work of Jackson Pollock. From smoky Greenwich Village dive bars to glitzy art auctions, from the empty studio of a man once known for his artistic stamina to the fine museums where his works hang, Ruthโs controversial painting is a window into two erasโand the ongoing struggle of women to develop power and freedom on their own terms.
Plastic, Prism, Void
Author Violet Allen
Genres LGBTQ+ Fantasy Fiction, Genre Literature & Fiction, Black & African American Romance Fiction, Black & African American Fantasy Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
"Delicious, insane, intoxicating." โMaya Deane, author of Wrath Goddess Sing
A riotous trans enemies-to-lovers romantasy that roars off the pageโin which a magical girl-gone-bad and a renegade mech pilot must find a way to stay on a date forever...
...even if it means destroying the world.
Don't you want to help them?
An extraordinary meld of adventure, rom-com, and experimental fiction, Violet Allenโs unstoppable debut is the cosmic thrill ride of a lifetime. Give in, succumb (you know you want to) to Plastic, Prism, Void.
A riotous trans enemies-to-lovers romantasy that roars off the pageโin which a magical girl-gone-bad and a renegade mech pilot must find a way to stay on a date forever...
...even if it means destroying the world.
Don't you want to help them?
An extraordinary meld of adventure, rom-com, and experimental fiction, Violet Allenโs unstoppable debut is the cosmic thrill ride of a lifetime. Give in, succumb (you know you want to) to Plastic, Prism, Void.
Major Gift
Author Tiffany Ezuma
Genres Genre Literature & Fiction, Black & African American Romance Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
The widow of a tech mogul is determined to give her wealth awayโand keep one secret from the journalist tasked with telling her story. A hot new take on the billionaire romance.
When Ndidi Davisโs husband unexpectedly dies, sheโs left bereftโand with $2.1 billion in the bank. She channels her grief into launching a charitable foundation, but the endeavor is made more complicated by Geoffrey Campbell, an ambitious, perceptive journalist assigned to profile her philanthropic pursuit. Geoffreyโs reporting slowly uncovers Ndidiโs whole heartโand some parts of her past sheโs worked hard to keep out of the public eye.
When Ndidi Davisโs husband unexpectedly dies, sheโs left bereftโand with $2.1 billion in the bank. She channels her grief into launching a charitable foundation, but the endeavor is made more complicated by Geoffrey Campbell, an ambitious, perceptive journalist assigned to profile her philanthropic pursuit. Geoffreyโs reporting slowly uncovers Ndidiโs whole heartโand some parts of her past sheโs worked hard to keep out of the public eye.
Dear Missing Friend
Author Susan McGuirk
Genres Epistolary Fiction, American Literature, American Historical Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Three hearts. Countless letters. One impossible choice.
Through letters exchanged across oceans and Manhattan streets, Irish immigrant Catherine McGuirk navigates love, ambition, and heartbreak. Torn between her seafaring husband, the suitor she once refused, and her own dreams, Catherine's fate unfolds in an intimate, epistolary saga of passion, resilience, and nineteenth-century life.
Through letters exchanged across oceans and Manhattan streets, Irish immigrant Catherine McGuirk navigates love, ambition, and heartbreak. Torn between her seafaring husband, the suitor she once refused, and her own dreams, Catherine's fate unfolds in an intimate, epistolary saga of passion, resilience, and nineteenth-century life.
A Wasp in the Beehive
Author Mary Logue
Genres Westerns, Women's Literature & Fiction, American Literature, Historical Mystery
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Salt Lake City, 1881: Brigid Reardon is again on the case when her new employerโa leader in the Church of Latter-day Saintsโis murdered in his home
Still reeling from the violence she encountered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Brigid Reardon presses on alone to Salt Lake City, where she decides to settle down in what she hopes is a safe community. Things look promising when sheโs hired to work at the Deseret Bookstore and offered a room in the home of her employer, Mr. Cutter, a high-ranking member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, and his five wives.
Despite Brigidโs conflicting feelings about polygamy, she finds the Cutter wives warm and welcoming, and she thinks she may finally be happy here. As she settles in, Brigid learns that Mr. Cutter wants yet another wife, and he is set on Amelia, the daughter of one of his wives from a previous marriage. When Mr. Cutter is found apparently murdered in the womenโs sewing room, each of the wives (plus Amelia and Mr. Cutterโs son) is a suspect, and Brigid knows itโs up to her to figure out just who did it. As she continues to work in the bookstore and live with the grieving family, Brigid teams up with the local coroner to investigateโand with her undeniable knack for detection, itโs not long before she discovers a telltale clue.
A Wasp in the Beehive continues Brigidโs trek west in the United States after immigrating from Ireland with her brother, following her time in Deadwood, South Dakota, in The Streel and in Cheyenne in The Big Sugar. But with everything that has happened, will she stay in Salt Lake City, or will she move on again?
Crash Into Me
Author Taylor Romagnoli
Genres Drama & Play Types, Genre Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Romance, New Adult & College Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Itโs only been two weeks since Natalie graduated from college, yet she feels adriftโlistless and wayward in the beach town she now calls home. Trapped in a cycle of job rejections, writerโs block, and being the new girl in town, Natalieโs social life revolves around supporting her sisterโs recovery as she enters rehab for an eating disorder.
Enter another patient at the same facility where her sister is being treated. Heโs undeniably magnetic, and their attraction to one another is obvious. But this summer was supposed to be a turning point for Natalieโa new startโbut when her friendship with Brooklyn turns to romance, his history threatens her future.
Brooklynโs past isnโt just complicated, itโs dangerous, and when his history of drug addiction resurfaces, it drags them both into turbulent waters. Itโs just like Natalie to want to save him, but she soon realizes that sometimes, people can only save themselves.
Enter another patient at the same facility where her sister is being treated. Heโs undeniably magnetic, and their attraction to one another is obvious. But this summer was supposed to be a turning point for Natalieโa new startโbut when her friendship with Brooklyn turns to romance, his history threatens her future.
Brooklynโs past isnโt just complicated, itโs dangerous, and when his history of drug addiction resurfaces, it drags them both into turbulent waters. Itโs just like Natalie to want to save him, but she soon realizes that sometimes, people can only save themselves.
Jungle of Ashes
Author Brynn Barineau
Genres Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
In 1928, industrial titan Henry Ford set out to conquer the Brazilian rainforest, determined to grow his own rubber and free his company from British control. The result was Fordlandiaโa factory-town dream of American order imposed on the chaos of the jungle. But behind the promise of progress lies exploitation, cultural conflict, and ecological disaster.
Seventeen-year-old Joann Rogge is uprooted from Michigan when her father is appointed assistant manager of the Ford Company's Amazonian plantation. Eager to escape the confining expectations of American society, Joanna finds herself both fascinated and disturbed by the rainforestโand by Rafael Caetano, a skilled Brazilian mechanic with ambitions of his own.
As conditions in Fordlandia deteriorateโdiseased crops, rising fevers, and mounting
tensions between management and laborโJoanna and Rafael are drawn together in a fragile romance that defies class, culture, and the company's rigid rules. When political revolution and corporate control collide, they must choose between duty and desire, safety and truth, survival and love.
Seventeen-year-old Joann Rogge is uprooted from Michigan when her father is appointed assistant manager of the Ford Company's Amazonian plantation. Eager to escape the confining expectations of American society, Joanna finds herself both fascinated and disturbed by the rainforestโand by Rafael Caetano, a skilled Brazilian mechanic with ambitions of his own.
As conditions in Fordlandia deteriorateโdiseased crops, rising fevers, and mounting
tensions between management and laborโJoanna and Rafael are drawn together in a fragile romance that defies class, culture, and the company's rigid rules. When political revolution and corporate control collide, they must choose between duty and desire, safety and truth, survival and love.
Salomรฉ
Author Leslie Baird
Genres Gothic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction, Psychological Thrillers
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A seductively gothic reimagining of the original femme fatale, about an adrift American journalist who accepts an alluring stranger's invitation to stay at her home in a small French town, only to uncover a dangerous family history that could alter the course of humanity.
Donโt open your eyes...
Courtney notices Salomรฉ the moment she steps onto the plane. She's not usually influenced by others' charms, but there's something undeniable about Salomรฉ. She's magnetic, quicksilver, and, best of all for incurable Francophile Courtney, French. When Salomรฉ invites Courtney to her motherโs town in northwestern France, derailing Courtneyโs trip to Paris, Courtney doesnโt even have to think about it.
But things are, almost immediately, a little odd. Despite feeling right at home with Salomรฉ, a house outfitted with cameras and the dark, watchful presence of Salomรฉโs mother haunts Courtneyโs visit. Courtney senses she should leave, but in Salomรฉโs presence she feels as if she's rediscovered the โFrench Courtney,โ an alternate version of herself who made a life in France.
That is, until she starts to experience paralyzing nightmares, in which strange voices intone Donโt open your eyes . . . and encounters Salomรฉโs charismatic stepfather Marco, whose pyramid-scheme vitamin company offers a tempting segue into an even more insidious group obsessed with eternal life. Or is it an actual cult? And how much does Salomรฉ really know? As a conspiracy unfurls, Courtney is torn between her loyalty to Salomรฉ and what might be the story of a lifetime, the kind that could make a journalistโs careerโif it doesnโt kill her first.
A modern reclamation of one of the Bibleโs most dangerous women whose story, until now, has been almost exclusively told by men, Salomรฉ is a tantalizing, feminist tale exploring power, loyalty, connection, and the measures we'll take to harness our deepest desires.
Donโt open your eyes...
Courtney notices Salomรฉ the moment she steps onto the plane. She's not usually influenced by others' charms, but there's something undeniable about Salomรฉ. She's magnetic, quicksilver, and, best of all for incurable Francophile Courtney, French. When Salomรฉ invites Courtney to her motherโs town in northwestern France, derailing Courtneyโs trip to Paris, Courtney doesnโt even have to think about it.
But things are, almost immediately, a little odd. Despite feeling right at home with Salomรฉ, a house outfitted with cameras and the dark, watchful presence of Salomรฉโs mother haunts Courtneyโs visit. Courtney senses she should leave, but in Salomรฉโs presence she feels as if she's rediscovered the โFrench Courtney,โ an alternate version of herself who made a life in France.
That is, until she starts to experience paralyzing nightmares, in which strange voices intone Donโt open your eyes . . . and encounters Salomรฉโs charismatic stepfather Marco, whose pyramid-scheme vitamin company offers a tempting segue into an even more insidious group obsessed with eternal life. Or is it an actual cult? And how much does Salomรฉ really know? As a conspiracy unfurls, Courtney is torn between her loyalty to Salomรฉ and what might be the story of a lifetime, the kind that could make a journalistโs careerโif it doesnโt kill her first.
A modern reclamation of one of the Bibleโs most dangerous women whose story, until now, has been almost exclusively told by men, Salomรฉ is a tantalizing, feminist tale exploring power, loyalty, connection, and the measures we'll take to harness our deepest desires.
My Brilliant AI Boyfriend
Author Stella Hayward
Genres Feel-Good Fiction, Contemporary Women Fiction, British & Irish Humor & Satire, Humorous Fiction
Publication Date May 19, 2026
In this delightfully hilarious romance, a scientistโs quiet world is completely turned upside-down when the AI program she designed creates a human body for himselfโjust to ask her out on a date.
As a top scientist in her field, Ava Green doesnโt spend much time outside of the lab. But when her best friend Rani suggests she present her innovative work in AI at a big competition to win a funding prize, Ava finds herself attending a ceremony in a ridiculously fancy castleโwearing an equally ridiculous dressโas one of the four finalists chosen.
For the next three weeks, Ava will live at the castle (which is totally haunted, by the way) with the other contestants for the prize. Even though all Ava wants is to continue working on her AI program, FreeThought, in peace, sheโll have to do things like attend dinners and actually interact with people. To make matters worse, one of the other contestants is the surly and aloof poet, Forrest Faulkner, whoโs had a huge chip on his shoulder since the moment they met. Whatโs so great about poems that donโt even rhyme, anyway?
When a handsome strangerโwho literally looks like heโs stepped out of one of Avaโs pre-pubescent dreamsโarrives at the competition, suddenly socializing doesnโt sound so bad anymore. He seems too good to be real... and maybe thatโs not so far from the truth. As the competition progresses, Ava is suddenly confronted with a monster problem of her own creation, causing her to reconsider her life and work in a new light. She might also need to rethink some bad first impressions sheโs been holding on to as well. Maybe Avaโs idea of perfection isnโt whatโs perfect for her, after all?
enemies-to-loversopposites attractslow burnSTEM romancesingle dadlove triangle
As a top scientist in her field, Ava Green doesnโt spend much time outside of the lab. But when her best friend Rani suggests she present her innovative work in AI at a big competition to win a funding prize, Ava finds herself attending a ceremony in a ridiculously fancy castleโwearing an equally ridiculous dressโas one of the four finalists chosen.
For the next three weeks, Ava will live at the castle (which is totally haunted, by the way) with the other contestants for the prize. Even though all Ava wants is to continue working on her AI program, FreeThought, in peace, sheโll have to do things like attend dinners and actually interact with people. To make matters worse, one of the other contestants is the surly and aloof poet, Forrest Faulkner, whoโs had a huge chip on his shoulder since the moment they met. Whatโs so great about poems that donโt even rhyme, anyway?
When a handsome strangerโwho literally looks like heโs stepped out of one of Avaโs pre-pubescent dreamsโarrives at the competition, suddenly socializing doesnโt sound so bad anymore. He seems too good to be real... and maybe thatโs not so far from the truth. As the competition progresses, Ava is suddenly confronted with a monster problem of her own creation, causing her to reconsider her life and work in a new light. She might also need to rethink some bad first impressions sheโs been holding on to as well. Maybe Avaโs idea of perfection isnโt whatโs perfect for her, after all?
enemies-to-loversopposites attractslow burnSTEM romancesingle dadlove triangle
Mist and Malice
Author Rachel Howzell Hall
Genres Black & African American Mystery, Thriller and Suspense, Police Procedurals, Private Investigator Mysteries
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A small-town PI is drawn into a killer conspiracy in a breathtaking novel of suspense by the New York Times bestselling author of the Anthony Awardโnominated These Toxic Things.
Private investigator Sonny Rush, the newest resident of Haven, California, knows that this fogbound coastal hamlet is every bit as dangerous as her hometown of Los Angeles. And when teenager and repeat runaway Honor Butler shows up at Sonnyโs door with terror in her eyes, Sonny is immediately pulled into a new case that lands close to home.
Desperate, hungry, and in need of someone she can trust, Honor tells Sonny a horrifying story about where sheโs beenโand what sheโs been forced to do. Then, hours later, the forest near Sonnyโs cottage yields the remains of a missing day laborer, a man whose wife has been searching for answers for months. Soon, coincidence sharpens into conspiracy.
As Sonny digs deeper, the threads of these cases twist together into something a ruthless network preying on the vulnerable, protected by the very people meant to uphold the law. With every step closer to revealing Havenโs corruption, Sonny risks pulling the lives of her loved ones into the cross fireโand exposing the shadows of her own past. Because in this town, loyalty can be fatal, and survival means deciding who youโre willing to betray.
Private investigator Sonny Rush, the newest resident of Haven, California, knows that this fogbound coastal hamlet is every bit as dangerous as her hometown of Los Angeles. And when teenager and repeat runaway Honor Butler shows up at Sonnyโs door with terror in her eyes, Sonny is immediately pulled into a new case that lands close to home.
Desperate, hungry, and in need of someone she can trust, Honor tells Sonny a horrifying story about where sheโs beenโand what sheโs been forced to do. Then, hours later, the forest near Sonnyโs cottage yields the remains of a missing day laborer, a man whose wife has been searching for answers for months. Soon, coincidence sharpens into conspiracy.
As Sonny digs deeper, the threads of these cases twist together into something a ruthless network preying on the vulnerable, protected by the very people meant to uphold the law. With every step closer to revealing Havenโs corruption, Sonny risks pulling the lives of her loved ones into the cross fireโand exposing the shadows of her own past. Because in this town, loyalty can be fatal, and survival means deciding who youโre willing to betray.
Nightwing
Author Juliette Cross
Genres Literature & Fiction, Romance Collections & Anthologies, Romantasy, Sword & Sorcery Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Tensions are rising in the Gladium Province. The boundary between humans and Morgons has begun to blur. While the human aristocracy strives to maintain distance between their daughters and the dragon-hybrid race, fate has other plans.
As the daughter of the corporate king, Jessen Cade is duty-bound to honor her arranged marriage to a man she detests. Feeling trapped by family duty and a loveless future, she longs for more, straying to the Morgon side of the city.
Lucius Nightwing is the eldest son of the powerful Morgon clan, and the greatest enemy of Jessenโs father. When a bar-room brawl thrusts Jessen into his arms, his dragon roars to the surface, craving to sate his carnal hunger in the brown-eyed beauty. The beast in Lucius recognizes her as his own, even if the man refuses to admit the truth.
As the daughter of the corporate king, Jessen Cade is duty-bound to honor her arranged marriage to a man she detests. Feeling trapped by family duty and a loveless future, she longs for more, straying to the Morgon side of the city.
Lucius Nightwing is the eldest son of the powerful Morgon clan, and the greatest enemy of Jessenโs father. When a bar-room brawl thrusts Jessen into his arms, his dragon roars to the surface, craving to sate his carnal hunger in the brown-eyed beauty. The beast in Lucius recognizes her as his own, even if the man refuses to admit the truth.
Against Their Will
Author Karina Kilmore
Genres Literature & Fiction, Women Sleuths, International Mystery & Crime, Crime Thrillers
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Gripping, intelligent and adrenaline-charged, Karina Kilmore's explosive international debut delivers a fierce new heroine in the tradition of Stieg Larsson and Lisa Gardner.
After walking away from traditional journalism, Danny Boyd is recruited to The Open--a covert investigative unit hunting the world's darkest criminal networks. She proves herself quickly, until a mission against Kronos, a brutal trafficking syndicate, blows her cover. Ordered to stand down, Danny refuses. Children are still vanishing. Kronos is still out there.
Forced to moonlight as a PI, Danny takes a case a bit closer to home: a wealthy Ohio family unraveling after their patriarch, real estate developer Bob Wilson, is killed in a botched robbery. His will exposes shocking betrayals and a secret heir, so the Wilsons hire Danny to dig deeper. What begins as a privileged family succession dispute soon unearths deadly secrets, financial schemes, and a legacy of bitter revenge.
But someone is watching her. Is it Kronos? Or the Wilson family's enemies? With two ruthless forces closing in, Danny must expose the truth--this time with no backup and nowhere to hide--before she's silenced for good.
"Haunted by guilt after her sister's tragic death, a young woman seeks a fresh start as a caregiver in North Carolina and gradually finds the healing she seeks-but unexpected love and a life-threatening storm will test her strength all over again!" โCam Torrens, award-winning author of the Tyler Zahn mystery/suspense series
I am the reason my sister is dead.
Jolie-Mae Buckley doesn't think her heart can ever heal. Two years ago, she graduated from college summa cum laude and was on track for medical school. Drowning in guilt after a disastrous mistake turned deadly, she's unable to move forward.
When she answers an ad for a live-in nanny four hours away in Western North Carolina, on Elizabeth's Mountain, Jolie knows this is her opportunity to start her life anew.
As details of Jolie's misfortune emerge, her new employers, Jesse and Amanda Taylor, detect a nefarious undercurrent in her story. Jesse's protรฉgรฉ, Brody, gently persuades Jolie to revisit that awful day when a perfect storm of events destroyed her world. In the meantime, Hurricane Helene is barreling toward Asheville, where survival becomes paramount, exposing the fragile line between hope and terror. In the aftermath of Mother Nature's chaos, and with Jolie's heart hanging in the balance, the truth about that fateful night breaks free like the floodwaters no one predicted.
I am the reason my sister is dead.
Jolie-Mae Buckley doesn't think her heart can ever heal. Two years ago, she graduated from college summa cum laude and was on track for medical school. Drowning in guilt after a disastrous mistake turned deadly, she's unable to move forward.
When she answers an ad for a live-in nanny four hours away in Western North Carolina, on Elizabeth's Mountain, Jolie knows this is her opportunity to start her life anew.
As details of Jolie's misfortune emerge, her new employers, Jesse and Amanda Taylor, detect a nefarious undercurrent in her story. Jesse's protรฉgรฉ, Brody, gently persuades Jolie to revisit that awful day when a perfect storm of events destroyed her world. In the meantime, Hurricane Helene is barreling toward Asheville, where survival becomes paramount, exposing the fragile line between hope and terror. In the aftermath of Mother Nature's chaos, and with Jolie's heart hanging in the balance, the truth about that fateful night breaks free like the floodwaters no one predicted.
Beauty And The Brooding Viscount
Author Jeanine Englert
Genres Family Saga Fiction, Family Life Fiction, Folklore, Historical Romances
Publication Date May 21, 2026
A Regency fairytale retelling with a grumpy sunshine romance
To make her markโฆ
She must find his match!
Itโs a tale as old as Lucas Worthing, a wealthy Viscount, is reluctantly obliged to find a high-society wife. Especially with a deathbed promise to his mother to fulfill! But who could love the battle-hardened Beast of Barnett House? Enter the Cupidโs Arrow Agencyโฆ
Matchmaking for the scarred and reclusive Lucas wonโt be easy, but plucky Ophelia Granger isnโt deterred by his imposing castle or gruff demeanor. If she can pull this off, her business stands a chance of success. Yet thereโs nothing harder than finding a bride for the man youโre falling for yourself!
From Harlequin Your romantic escape to the past.
Regency Fairytales
Book 1: Cinderella's Charade with the Duke
To make her markโฆ
She must find his match!
Itโs a tale as old as Lucas Worthing, a wealthy Viscount, is reluctantly obliged to find a high-society wife. Especially with a deathbed promise to his mother to fulfill! But who could love the battle-hardened Beast of Barnett House? Enter the Cupidโs Arrow Agencyโฆ
Matchmaking for the scarred and reclusive Lucas wonโt be easy, but plucky Ophelia Granger isnโt deterred by his imposing castle or gruff demeanor. If she can pull this off, her business stands a chance of success. Yet thereโs nothing harder than finding a bride for the man youโre falling for yourself!
From Harlequin Your romantic escape to the past.
Regency Fairytales
Book 1: Cinderella's Charade with the Duke
Darkened Dawn
Author E. J. Mellow
Genres Fantasy Action & Adventure, Romantasy, Epic Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From the award-winning author of The Mousai series comes the sweeping conclusion to the Icarus-inspired Way of Wings duologyโwhere a forbidden love could save a fractured worldโฆor bring about its end.
Cฤdra is on the brink of war. With their king in a coma and rebellion spreading across the lands, the winged Volari and horned Sรผra gather for tense peace negotiations. But beneath the momentary fragile truce simmers unrestโthe mixed-blood Mรผtra rise, demanding the freedom denied them for centuries, as the gods themselves seem poised to intervene.
Tanwenโnow a known Mรผtra and fugitive of the crownโand Zolya, a prince on the precipice to inherit his fatherโs broken kingdom, find themselves caught in a web of betrayal and divine reckoning. When their forbidden bond is exposed, they risk far more than their loveโtheir lives, their families, and the fragile hope of peace.
Together they must decide whether their love is worth the ruin it may bring to their fractured worldโฆor perhaps be the only key to healing it.
Cฤdra is on the brink of war. With their king in a coma and rebellion spreading across the lands, the winged Volari and horned Sรผra gather for tense peace negotiations. But beneath the momentary fragile truce simmers unrestโthe mixed-blood Mรผtra rise, demanding the freedom denied them for centuries, as the gods themselves seem poised to intervene.
Tanwenโnow a known Mรผtra and fugitive of the crownโand Zolya, a prince on the precipice to inherit his fatherโs broken kingdom, find themselves caught in a web of betrayal and divine reckoning. When their forbidden bond is exposed, they risk far more than their loveโtheir lives, their families, and the fragile hope of peace.
Together they must decide whether their love is worth the ruin it may bring to their fractured worldโฆor perhaps be the only key to healing it.
Hawai'i Rage
Author Tori Eldridge
Genres Family Life Fiction, Asian American & Pacific Islander Literature, Mysteries, Thrillers & Suspense
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A suspicious death on a Kohala Mountain ranch draws ranger Makalani Pahukula into a tangled family tree in an emotional and suspenseful adventure by the bestselling author of the Lily Wong series.
Makalani Pahukula, interpretive ranger for Puโukoholฤ Heiau National Historic Site, craves some rejuvenating hard work on Hawaiโi Island. When cousin-in-law Rosie offers Makalani a chance to help at the Hiapo family ranch, itโs the perfect opportunity. But something else weighs on Rosieโs mind. Her father recently died in a gruesome accidentโtrapped and cornered in a pit by an aggressive bull.
The wrong place at the wrong time? Rosie suspects something more sinister.
Not long into her work, Makalaniโs suspicions rise too. The Hiapos arenโt as close as Makalani thought. All family membersโthe grandfather, the widow, the adversarial brothers co-running the ranch, the sister who wants anything but a paniolo life for her son, and the cowgirl who becomes Makalaniโs friendโare hiding secrets from one another. And from Makalani.
When more dangerous accidents occur, Makalani has no choice but to follow the clues that lead her into the dark history of Hiapo Ranch and draw out the culprit before someone else dies.
Makalani Pahukula, interpretive ranger for Puโukoholฤ Heiau National Historic Site, craves some rejuvenating hard work on Hawaiโi Island. When cousin-in-law Rosie offers Makalani a chance to help at the Hiapo family ranch, itโs the perfect opportunity. But something else weighs on Rosieโs mind. Her father recently died in a gruesome accidentโtrapped and cornered in a pit by an aggressive bull.
The wrong place at the wrong time? Rosie suspects something more sinister.
Not long into her work, Makalaniโs suspicions rise too. The Hiapos arenโt as close as Makalani thought. All family membersโthe grandfather, the widow, the adversarial brothers co-running the ranch, the sister who wants anything but a paniolo life for her son, and the cowgirl who becomes Makalaniโs friendโare hiding secrets from one another. And from Makalani.
When more dangerous accidents occur, Makalani has no choice but to follow the clues that lead her into the dark history of Hiapo Ranch and draw out the culprit before someone else dies.
Our Lady of Blades
Author Sebastien de Castell
Genres Fantasy Action & Adventure, Historical Fantasy, Action & Adventure Fantasy
Publication Date May 19, 2026
'A spirited swashbuckling fantasy about family, revenge and the price of justice' - Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic
Two divided by tragedy, united by steel. The incredible new novel in the Court of Shadows series by the bestselling author of TRAITOR'S BLADE and THE MALEVOLENT SEVEN!
Blood Week may have been banned in Rijou, but the streets still run red - and now murder is being sanctioned by the courts. Only a reckless fool would believe they can beat the system. But then, the Greatcoats have always been more than a little reckless . . .
Rijou's notorious Court of Blades is as corrupt as it is cutthroat, destroying lives with impunity. Now the city's all-powerful Ascendant Houses have started buying and selling verdicts to enslave and even execute those who oppose them.
Into this depraved world of licensed death comes a mysterious duellist who dares to foil the intrigues of the city's elite. They call her Lady Consequence, but years ago she had a different name, until her family was slaughtered and she was consigned to the hellish prison known as the House of Tears.
Lady Consequence means to rescue her idealistic younger brother, restore their House and wreak vengeance upon those who betrayed them. But a far more dangerous game is unfolding in the shadows, one which threatens the freedom of the entire nation.
Two divided by tragedy, united by steel. The incredible new novel in the Court of Shadows series by the bestselling author of TRAITOR'S BLADE and THE MALEVOLENT SEVEN!
Blood Week may have been banned in Rijou, but the streets still run red - and now murder is being sanctioned by the courts. Only a reckless fool would believe they can beat the system. But then, the Greatcoats have always been more than a little reckless . . .
Rijou's notorious Court of Blades is as corrupt as it is cutthroat, destroying lives with impunity. Now the city's all-powerful Ascendant Houses have started buying and selling verdicts to enslave and even execute those who oppose them.
Into this depraved world of licensed death comes a mysterious duellist who dares to foil the intrigues of the city's elite. They call her Lady Consequence, but years ago she had a different name, until her family was slaughtered and she was consigned to the hellish prison known as the House of Tears.
Lady Consequence means to rescue her idealistic younger brother, restore their House and wreak vengeance upon those who betrayed them. But a far more dangerous game is unfolding in the shadows, one which threatens the freedom of the entire nation.
Forever Yours
Author Joslyn Westbrook
Genres Literature & Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Small Town Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From Joslyn Westbrook comes a steamy age-gap romance that blends sizzling chemistry, banter, and a fling that refuses to stay simple.
My goal is pretty simple this summer: house-sit on the beach for three quiet months and mend whatโs left of my heart before starting a new job in New York.
What I donโt need is Knox.
The slightly older guy next door whoโs brooding, guarded, and way too temptingโwith a scowl that could melt glass and abs that ought to come with a warning label.
But when a small predicament, plus one very awkward naked moment, pushes our โonly neighborsโ thing into unexpected territory, sparks become impossible to ignore.
So we lay down a few simple rules:
No last names. No numbers. No strings.
A flawless arrangementโฆfor about five minutes.
What begins as a summer-only fling soon feels deeper and far more dangerous to our hearts.
Because once summer ends, walking away isnโt as easy as weโd promised.
And when fate throws us back together, nothing could have prepared me for what happens next.
Warning: Forever Yours is packed with kitten chaos, coastal-town shenanigans, big-city complications, and enough heat to make you reach for a fan.
Warning: Forever Yours is packed with kitten chaos, coastal-town shenanigans, big-city complications, and enough heat to make you reach for a fan.
My goal is pretty simple this summer: house-sit on the beach for three quiet months and mend whatโs left of my heart before starting a new job in New York.
What I donโt need is Knox.
The slightly older guy next door whoโs brooding, guarded, and way too temptingโwith a scowl that could melt glass and abs that ought to come with a warning label.
But when a small predicament, plus one very awkward naked moment, pushes our โonly neighborsโ thing into unexpected territory, sparks become impossible to ignore.
So we lay down a few simple rules:
No last names. No numbers. No strings.
A flawless arrangementโฆfor about five minutes.
What begins as a summer-only fling soon feels deeper and far more dangerous to our hearts.
Because once summer ends, walking away isnโt as easy as weโd promised.
And when fate throws us back together, nothing could have prepared me for what happens next.
Warning: Forever Yours is packed with kitten chaos, coastal-town shenanigans, big-city complications, and enough heat to make you reach for a fan.
Warning: Forever Yours is packed with kitten chaos, coastal-town shenanigans, big-city complications, and enough heat to make you reach for a fan.
Odder: The Novel
Author Katherine Applegate
Genres Children's Books, Animals, Mammals, Marine Life, Growing Up & Facts of Life, Friendship, Social Skills & School Life
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list!
From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wishtree and The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, a touching and lyrical tale about a remarkable sea otter, perfect for summer reading!
Meet Odder, the Queen of Play:
Nobody has her moves.
She doesnโt just swim to the bottom,
she dive-bombs.
She doesnโt just somersault,
she triple-doughnuts.
She doesnโt just ride the waves,
she makes them.
Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which sheโs known. Sheโs a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herselfโand about the humans who hope to save her.
Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers, this poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of natureโs most beloved and charming animals.
Odder: An Otter's Story is also available in a new picture book format with stunning illustrations by Charles Santoso.
Liar's Kingdom
Author Andrew Weissmann
Genres Politics & Social Sciences, Politics & Government, United States, Specific Topics
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From MS NOW legal analyst and veteran federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, an urgent summons to tackle the scourge of political lies in Americaโand prevent a figure like Donald Trump from ever rising again.
โThe 2020 election was a total FRAUD!โ โI won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.โ โThere is NO WAY Biden got 80,000,000 votes!!!โ These and other lies by Donald Trump sparked a historic insurrection to topple our democracy and undermined the publicโs faith in elections. The Trump administrationโs deceit has enabled the use of law enforcement and the military against the people, the unlawful deportation of immigrants, and the disregard of international rules meant to promote a civilized and peaceful world. Other politicians, inspired by the success of the political lie, have flooded the public square with falsehoods of their own.
As Andrew Weissmann reveals, our vulnerability to politiciansโ lies stems from a flaw in Americaโs legal systemโone that can be fixed. But it will take courage, creativity, and a willingness to look beyond our borders to other countries that have already confronted this crisis. A slim, elegant treatise, Liarโs Kingdom is a playbook for stopping politicians like Trump from holding office in the futureโand for saving our democracy. We are entitled to more from our government, and this book shows how we can get it.
โThe 2020 election was a total FRAUD!โ โI won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.โ โThere is NO WAY Biden got 80,000,000 votes!!!โ These and other lies by Donald Trump sparked a historic insurrection to topple our democracy and undermined the publicโs faith in elections. The Trump administrationโs deceit has enabled the use of law enforcement and the military against the people, the unlawful deportation of immigrants, and the disregard of international rules meant to promote a civilized and peaceful world. Other politicians, inspired by the success of the political lie, have flooded the public square with falsehoods of their own.
As Andrew Weissmann reveals, our vulnerability to politiciansโ lies stems from a flaw in Americaโs legal systemโone that can be fixed. But it will take courage, creativity, and a willingness to look beyond our borders to other countries that have already confronted this crisis. A slim, elegant treatise, Liarโs Kingdom is a playbook for stopping politicians like Trump from holding office in the futureโand for saving our democracy. We are entitled to more from our government, and this book shows how we can get it.
On Witness and Respair
Author Jesmyn Ward
Genres Self-Help, Relationships, Love & Loss, History, Americas, United States, Politics & Social Sciences, Social Sciences, Cultural & Ethnic Studies
Publication Date May 19, 2026
The collected creative nonfiction of a singular American writer, Jesmyn Ward, including widely shared classics, three never-before-published speeches, and an introductory essay.
Respair (noun, obsolete), fresh hope after despair.
From the two-time National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Jesmyn Ward, this collection of essays documents more than a decade of work in the life of a singular writer often lauded as โthe heir apparent to Toni Morrisonโ (LitHub). Beginning with her upbringing in a multigenerational household in rural Mississippi, the cradle of both her youth and her gift for storytelling, Ward brings her keen wisdom and hauntingly lyrical prose to a range of topics, following in her grandmother Dorothyโs footsteps when she promises always to โTell it straight. Tell it all.โ
True to her word, in these pages Ward contemplates the writers and novels of her youth and adulthoodโthe transformative power of discovering Octavia Butler as a twenty-something, the mirror that Richard Wrightโs novels held up to her own childhood, and of course, her lifelong love for Toni Morrison. Ward ruminates on her approach to both fiction and life, reflecting on the power of the novel, how to raise a Black son in an era of rising divisiveness and cruelty, as well as her own personal tragediesโincluding the titular essay of the collection, which tells the story of her partnerโs sudden death on the eve of the COVID-19 epidemic. Every bit as piercing and moving as her fiction, On Witness and Respair is a testament to Wardโs powers as โone of Americaโs finest living writersโ (San Francisco Chronicle) and is a monument to hope, beauty, and personal and collective resilience.
Respair (noun, obsolete), fresh hope after despair.
From the two-time National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Jesmyn Ward, this collection of essays documents more than a decade of work in the life of a singular writer often lauded as โthe heir apparent to Toni Morrisonโ (LitHub). Beginning with her upbringing in a multigenerational household in rural Mississippi, the cradle of both her youth and her gift for storytelling, Ward brings her keen wisdom and hauntingly lyrical prose to a range of topics, following in her grandmother Dorothyโs footsteps when she promises always to โTell it straight. Tell it all.โ
True to her word, in these pages Ward contemplates the writers and novels of her youth and adulthoodโthe transformative power of discovering Octavia Butler as a twenty-something, the mirror that Richard Wrightโs novels held up to her own childhood, and of course, her lifelong love for Toni Morrison. Ward ruminates on her approach to both fiction and life, reflecting on the power of the novel, how to raise a Black son in an era of rising divisiveness and cruelty, as well as her own personal tragediesโincluding the titular essay of the collection, which tells the story of her partnerโs sudden death on the eve of the COVID-19 epidemic. Every bit as piercing and moving as her fiction, On Witness and Respair is a testament to Wardโs powers as โone of Americaโs finest living writersโ (San Francisco Chronicle) and is a monument to hope, beauty, and personal and collective resilience.
The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom, 1)
Author Gillig, Rachel
Genres Dark Fantasy, Romance, Epic, Sword & Sorcery, Romantic
Publication Date May 19, 2026
From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gillig comes the next big romantasy sensation, a gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a young prophetess forced on an impossible quest with the one knight whose future is beyond her sight. This indie exclusive edition features stenciled edges and eight full-color illustrations by the author.
Score (Hollywood Renaissance, 2)
Author Ryan, Kennedy
Genres Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ+ Romance, Workplace Romance
Publication Date May 19, 2026
New York Times bestselling author and BookTok star Kennedy Ryan follows up her highly acclaimed Reel with a much-anticipated, heart-wrenching original never-before-published romance--this independent bookstore exclusive edition will include gorgeous character art and an extra interview from Kennedy.
Empire of AI
Author Karen Hao
Genres Business & Money, International, Economics, Engineering & Transportation, Engineering, Science & Math, Technology, Social Aspects, Politics & Social Sciences, Politics & Government, Specific Topics
Publication Date May 19, 2026
A New York Times Notable Book โข Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction โข A New York Times Bestseller โข Named a Best Book of the Year by Smithsonian, Scientific American, and Elle โข Winner of the Porchlight Business Book Award
โA bestselling page-turner that has made waves not just in Silicon Valley but around the world . . . With Empire of AI, Hao is fundamentally shaping many peopleโs perceptions and understanding of the company at the center of the AI revolution.โ โTIME Magazine, โTIME100 AI 2025โ
โExcellent and deeply reported.โ โTim Wu, The New York Times
โStartling and intensely researched . . . an essential account of how OpenAI and ChatGPT came to be and the catastrophic places they will likely take us.โ โVulture
From a brilliant longtime AI insider with intimate access to the world of Sam Altman's OpenAI from the beginning, an eye-opening account of arguably the most fateful tech arms race in history, reshaping the planet in real time, from the cockpit of the company that is driving the frenzy
When AI expert and investigative journalist Karen Hao first began covering OpenAI in 2019, she thought they were the good guys. Founded as a nonprofit with safety enshrined as its core mission, the organization was meant, its leader Sam Altman told us, to act as a check against more purely mercantile, and potentially dangerous, forces. What could go wrong?
Over time, Hao began to wrestle ever more deeply with that question. Increasingly, she realized that the core truth of this massively disruptive sector is that its vision of success requires an almost unprecedented amount of resources: the โcomputeโ power of high-end chips and the processing capacity to create massive large language models, the sheer volume of data that needs to be amassed at scale, the humans โcleaning upโ that data for sweatshop wages throughout the Global South, and a truly alarming spike in the usage of energy and water underlying it all. The truth is that we have entered a new and ominous age of empire: only a small handful of globally scaled companies can even enter the field of play. At the head of the pack with its ChatGPT breakthrough, how would OpenAI resist such temptations?
Spoiler alert: it didnโt. Armed with Microsoftโs billions, OpenAI is setting a breakneck pace, chased by a small group of the most valuable companies in human historyโtoward what end, not even they can define. All this time, Hao has maintained her deep sourcing within the company and the industry, and so she was in intimate contact with the story that shocked the entire tech industryโAltmanโs sudden firing and triumphant return. The behind-the-scenes story of what happened, told here in full for the first time, is revelatory of who the people controlling this technology really are. But this isnโt just the story of a single company, however fascinating it is. The g forces pressing down on the people of OpenAI are deforming the judgment of everyone else tooโas such forces do. Naked power finds the ideology to cloak itself; no one thinks theyโre the bad guy. But in the meantime, as Hao shows through intrepid reporting on the ground around the world, the enormous wheels of extraction grind on. By drawing on the viewpoints of Silicon Valley engineers, Kenyan data laborers, and Chilean water activists, Hao presents the fullest picture of AI and its impact weโve seen to date, alongside a trenchant analysis of where things are headed. An astonishing eyewitness view from both up in the command capsule of the new economy and down where the real suffering happens, Empire of AI pierces the veil of the industry defining our era.
โA bestselling page-turner that has made waves not just in Silicon Valley but around the world . . . With Empire of AI, Hao is fundamentally shaping many peopleโs perceptions and understanding of the company at the center of the AI revolution.โ โTIME Magazine, โTIME100 AI 2025โ
โExcellent and deeply reported.โ โTim Wu, The New York Times
โStartling and intensely researched . . . an essential account of how OpenAI and ChatGPT came to be and the catastrophic places they will likely take us.โ โVulture
From a brilliant longtime AI insider with intimate access to the world of Sam Altman's OpenAI from the beginning, an eye-opening account of arguably the most fateful tech arms race in history, reshaping the planet in real time, from the cockpit of the company that is driving the frenzy
When AI expert and investigative journalist Karen Hao first began covering OpenAI in 2019, she thought they were the good guys. Founded as a nonprofit with safety enshrined as its core mission, the organization was meant, its leader Sam Altman told us, to act as a check against more purely mercantile, and potentially dangerous, forces. What could go wrong?
Over time, Hao began to wrestle ever more deeply with that question. Increasingly, she realized that the core truth of this massively disruptive sector is that its vision of success requires an almost unprecedented amount of resources: the โcomputeโ power of high-end chips and the processing capacity to create massive large language models, the sheer volume of data that needs to be amassed at scale, the humans โcleaning upโ that data for sweatshop wages throughout the Global South, and a truly alarming spike in the usage of energy and water underlying it all. The truth is that we have entered a new and ominous age of empire: only a small handful of globally scaled companies can even enter the field of play. At the head of the pack with its ChatGPT breakthrough, how would OpenAI resist such temptations?
Spoiler alert: it didnโt. Armed with Microsoftโs billions, OpenAI is setting a breakneck pace, chased by a small group of the most valuable companies in human historyโtoward what end, not even they can define. All this time, Hao has maintained her deep sourcing within the company and the industry, and so she was in intimate contact with the story that shocked the entire tech industryโAltmanโs sudden firing and triumphant return. The behind-the-scenes story of what happened, told here in full for the first time, is revelatory of who the people controlling this technology really are. But this isnโt just the story of a single company, however fascinating it is. The g forces pressing down on the people of OpenAI are deforming the judgment of everyone else tooโas such forces do. Naked power finds the ideology to cloak itself; no one thinks theyโre the bad guy. But in the meantime, as Hao shows through intrepid reporting on the ground around the world, the enormous wheels of extraction grind on. By drawing on the viewpoints of Silicon Valley engineers, Kenyan data laborers, and Chilean water activists, Hao presents the fullest picture of AI and its impact weโve seen to date, alongside a trenchant analysis of where things are headed. An astonishing eyewitness view from both up in the command capsule of the new economy and down where the real suffering happens, Empire of AI pierces the veil of the industry defining our era.
Things in Nature Merely Grow
Author Yiyun Li
Genres Self-Help, Death & Grief, Grief & Bereavement, Biographies & Memoirs, Memoirs, Literature & Fiction, Essays & Correspondence, Essays, Parenting & Relationships
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Yiyun Liโs remarkable, defiant work of radical acceptance as she considers the loss of her son James.
โThere is no good way to say this,โ Yiyun Li writes at the beginning of this book.
โThere is no good way to state these facts, which must be acknowledged . . . My husband and I had two children and lost them both: Vincent in 2017, at sixteen, James in 2024, at nineteen. Both chose suicide, and both died not far from home.โ
There is no good way to say thisโbecause words fall short. It takes only an instant for death to become fact, โa single point in a time line.โ Living now on this single point, Li turns to thinking and reasoning and searching for words that might hold a place for James. Li does what she can: doing โthings that work,โ including not just writing but gardening, reading Camus and Wittgenstein, learning the piano, and living thinkingly alongside death.
This is a book for James, but it is not a book about grieving or mourning. As Li writes, โThe verb that does not die is โto be.โ Vincent was and is and will always be Vincent. James was and is and will always be James. We were and are and will always be their parents. There is no now and then, now and later; only now and now and now and now.โ Things in Nature Merely Grow is a testament to Liโs indomitable spirit.
We Are Mighty
Author Sharon McMahon
Genres Children's Books, History, United States, Education & Reference, Government, Biographies, Political
Publication Date May 19, 2026
โAmericaโs Government Teacherโ and author of the New York Times bestselling The Small and the Mighty pens a hopeful picture book about twelve ordinary Americans who stood up to do the next needed thing.
One kind act. One spark of bravery. One big idea from someone nobody expected.
In this beautifully illustrated collection, youโll meet twelve real people from Americaโs pastโsome famous, most notโwhose choices changed the course of history.
Youโll meet Marรญa de Lรณpez, who drove ambulances during World War I and helped win the vote for women. Youโll read about two boysโNorman and Alanโwho met at a campout, stayed friends for life, and helped lead the country together. And youโll discover how teachers, kids, and quiet changemakers made a mighty difference in their communities.
With powerful storytelling from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sharon McMahon and vivid art from award-winning illustrator Susanna Chapman, We Are Mighty celebrates courage, character, and the idea that the smallest step can create ripples we canโt yet see.
One kind act. One spark of bravery. One big idea from someone nobody expected.
In this beautifully illustrated collection, youโll meet twelve real people from Americaโs pastโsome famous, most notโwhose choices changed the course of history.
Youโll meet Marรญa de Lรณpez, who drove ambulances during World War I and helped win the vote for women. Youโll read about two boysโNorman and Alanโwho met at a campout, stayed friends for life, and helped lead the country together. And youโll discover how teachers, kids, and quiet changemakers made a mighty difference in their communities.
With powerful storytelling from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sharon McMahon and vivid art from award-winning illustrator Susanna Chapman, We Are Mighty celebrates courage, character, and the idea that the smallest step can create ripples we canโt yet see.
Tiny T. Rex Tries Soccer
Author Jonathan Stutzman
Genres Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life, Friendship, Social Skills & School Life, Activities, Crafts & Games, Activity Books
Publication Date May 19, 2026
Everyone's favorite pint-size dino is back and ready for new adventures--starting with soccer! From the creators of the New York Times bestselling Tiny T. Rex series, this playful continuation is perfectly sized for little hands and packed with big fun (including stickers!) and humor for growing imaginations. Tiny T. Rex is ready to try lots of new things. First up is his favorite sport--soccer! He has his shin protectors, socks, cleats, special headband, and jersey (even though it's a little too big). He is ready! But it turns out that soccer is very tricky. With the help of his teammates and lots of practice, Tiny learns to juggle, dribble, pass, shoot, and . . . score! Tiny's biggest fans will love the sheet of colorful stickers featuring Tiny, Pointy, and friends included right inside the book! BESTSELLING CREATIVE TEAM: Author Jonathan Stutzman and illustrator Jay Fleck are a powerhouse duo with many notable and award-winning titles between them, including the New York Times bestselling Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug, Tiny T. Rex and the First-Day Oopsies, and more. This fun and funny series continuation lets Tiny and friends give lots of new things a go! UPLIFTING MESSAGE: Tiny's latest adventure introduces the importance of trying something new and not giving up--perfect inspiration for dinosaur-loving babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. STORY & STICKERS FOR SOCCER FANS: For big and small soccer fans ready to enjoy the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US, this book and sticker set is great for watch parties, road trips, entertainment during games, and reading to learn more about the sport. GREAT READ-ALOUD BOOK: Delightful text and adorable illustrations make this dino book one kids will love to hear again and again! Perfect for: Dinosaur-loving kids from babies and toddlers through ages 4-6 Soccer fans and young players getting started in the sport Sticker enthusiasts Parents, grandparents, teachers, and caregivers seeking fun kids' books Fans of the Tiny T. Rex series and popular children's books like Curious George Plays Soccer, The Berenstain Bears: We Love Soccer!, and Franklin Plays the Game
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments down below.
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