Exalted by Anna Dorn - Unnamed Press, June 7
Anna Dorn’s cutting and hilarious novel spans Southern California, alternating between two points of view: Emily Forrest, the voice behind @exalted, Instagram’s most popular astrology page, and Dawn Webster, a career waitress and Riverside’s resident chaotic lesbian. Exalted explores the spaces between desire and love, for a dark comedy in the metaphysical age.
Cult Classic by Sloane Crosley - Macmillan, June 7
Lower Manhattan is a minefield for Lola, who can’t seem to stop running into her exes. But nothing’s a coincidence — Lola’s been tapped as Patient Zero in a new age cult whose main focus is driven by her love life. Sloane Crosley’s latest novel brings comic relief along with suspense, for an original look at the mystery of love, memory, ethics, and mind control.
Hurricane Girl by Marcy Dermansky - Penguin Random House, June 14
When a woman’s newly purchased beach house falls into the sea after a Category 3 hurricane, it’s the least of her problems. Hurricane Girl falls somewhere between comedy and horror, exploring the intersection of love, freedom, impulsivity, and more.
The Kingdom of Sand by Andrew Holleran - Macmillan, June 7
Andrew Holleran’s first new book in sixteen years follows a nameless narrator, a gay man who moved to Florida to look after his aging parents during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Unable to leave despite their eventual passing, the narrator chronicles the indignities of growing old in a small town — with musings that oscillate between witty and heartbreaking.
Everything I Need I Get from You by Kaitlyn Tiffany - Macmillan, June 14
It bears repeating: the internet is for girls! In Everything I Need I Get from You, the world of superfandom and the fangirls who shaped the social internet take the spotlight.
Ghost Lover by Lisa Taddeo - Simon & Schuster, June 14
Across nine spellbinding stories, Lisa Taddeo dives into the feverish tastes of the strongest emotions: obsession, love, and grief. Taddeo’s signature, heart-stopping prose continues to thrill.
Who Is Wellness For? by Fariha Róisín - Harperwave, June 14
Artist and writer Fariha Róisín explores the commodification and appropriation of wellness through the lens of social justice, providing resources to help anyone participate in self-care, regardless of race, identity, socioeconomic status, or able-bodiedness.
Blood Orange Night by Melissa Bond - Simon & Schuster, June 14
A page-turner memoir chronicling a woman’s accidental descent into prescription benzodiazepine dependence — and the life-threatening impacts of long-term use — that chills to the bone.
The Girls In Queens by Christine Kandic Torres - HarperCollins, June 14
In Christine Kandic Torres’ debut novel, two Queens natives and best friends grow up with no secrets between them. Told in alternating timelines, The Girls in Queens explores the fierce loyalty of a friendship that spans decades.
City of Likes by Jenny Mollen - Nacelle, June 14
When Megan Chernoff staves off a mid-life crisis by becoming close with the gorgeous and well-known momfluencer Daphne Cole, she’s ready to go all the way. But soon enough, Megan sees the cracks in Daphne’s life, and has to find a way to crawl out of the facade and back to what’s “real.”
The Novelist by Jordan Castro - Soft Skull, June 14
Jordan Castro’s debut novel follows a young man over the course of a single morning as he tries and fails to write an autobiographical novel. Instead, he finds himself drawn into Twitter (where else?) as he muses about his daily rituals and excavates the crevices of his own mind.
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh - Penguin Press, June 21
Ottessa Moshfegh holds nothing back in Lapvona, her latest novel that explores the lives of residents in a God-fearing medieval fiefdom. Lapvona is utterly depraved and promises some of the darkest humor of the year — I couldn’t put this one down.
Girls They Write Songs About by Carlene Bauer - Macmillan, June 21
A tender and honest novel about the friendships — and friendship breakups — that shape people just as much as their romantic counterparts.