7 New Reads in July

7 New Reads in July

Beat the summer heat with these new books in July that are sure to catch your attention! You can find these books at your local library, using our Bookshop Store or save these items to your To Be Read list using the links below.

Adult Fiction 

Big Girl by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan 

Nothing is quite as good as starting your July off with a debut novel! 8 year old Malaya lives in Harlem in the 90’s and struggles with loving her body, as her mother and grandmother nitpick her and drag her to Weight Watchers meetings. After a family tragedy, she is forced to confront her ideas surrounding weight and learns to embrace the body she has. 

Expected Publication: July 12, 2022

Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Other Names for Love by Taymour Soomro

Explore the deep conflict between father and son, differing generations and masculinity in this novel. Fahad is taken by his father, Rafik, to rural Pakistan to toughen him up and make him into a man. Rafik asks Ali, a local boy, to help his son accumulate which results in a love story and clash between generational differences. 

Expected Publication: July 12, 2022

Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Gods of Want: Stories by K-Ming Chang

Have you had a chance to check out Bestiary? K-Ming Chang’s debut novel was an amazing break into the literary scene and this collection of short stories focusing on Asian American women is sure to be worth a read. 

Expected Publication: July 12, 2022

Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Girls That Never Die: Poems by Safia Elhillo 

You may remember Safia Elhillo from their 2021 Young Adult book written in verse, Home is Not a Country, This award winning poet is back with a new poetry collection that looks at the violence all women face. It focuses on her own upbringing as a muslim girl. The poetry book ends with a fantastical world where women are exalted into a holy position. 

Expected Publication: July 12, 2022

Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah 

I’ve had my eye on this book for such a long time that I am stoked it’s finally almost here! Not only is the cover an amazing image, it’s also a multigenerational family saga. Books with multiple perspectives and generations are my favorite!

Expected Publication: July 26, 2022

Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Graphic Novels

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith 

This graphic novel is a love letter to Black women and their friendships. It showcases Black joy and a group of friends that come together to support each other no matter the situation. The lives of four Black women show their wash days which is the full day of work that goes into caring for their hair. 

Expected Publication: July 5, 2022

Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph

Orochi: The Perfect Edition, Vol 2 by Kazuo Umezz

The second volume of Umezz’s classic horror manga is back! If you haven’t had a chance to read the first one, I highly recommend it. Umezz has a slow building horror that doesn’t depend on showing horrible monsters but will keep you up at night! 

Expected Publication: July 19, 2022

Bookshop | Goodreads | StoryGraph

What did we miss that you are looking forward to? Let us know!  

Author

  • Helen

    Hi! My name is Helen and I’m a technology librarian at a Bay Area library system with a Masters in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. Although I buy for a variety of categories at my library, my favorite to purchase are graphic novels and contemporary fiction. I have a deep and lifelong love of manga. In my spare time, I enjoy playing video games, baking and playing with my cat, Cricket.

    [email protected] L. Helen