Ep 357 - Angry Robots and Queerd Fiction - the Hottest Books for Summer!

Brea and Mallory pick their most anticipated books for June and July. Plus, they discuss books they love that aren’t in their wheelhouses. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!

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Books Mentioned -

Stagtown by Punko

Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Long Division by Kiese Laymon

June

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei Coming back for one last job, art heist in space

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty Literary, Maine, family, small town secrets

One Star Romance by Laura Hankin Romance, enemies to lovers, publishing, academia

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood - Romance, women in STEM, business, secret affair

Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope Historical fantasy, gods and myths, woman on a journey, ancient magic

Enlightenment by Sarah Perry Literary, romance, astronomy, friendship, mystery, science

Lady Eve’s Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow Queer sci fi romance, be gay do space crimes

Dancers of the Dawn by Zulekha A. Afzal YA fantasy, dance magic, desert setting, dancer assassins, adventure

Tidal Creatures by Seanan McGuire Sequel to Middlegame

The Pecan Children by Quinn Connor Small town horror, Southern US setting, sisters, folklore

We Speak Through the Mountain by Premee Mohamed Sequel to The Annual Migration of Clouds

The Unrelenting Earth by Kritika H. Rao Book 2 of The Rages Trilogy

The Phoenix Ballroom by Ruth Hogan Literary, elderly widow reviving a community and her heart

Moonbound by Robin Sloan Sci fi and fantasy, AI narrator, magic, journey

The Girl Who Kept the Castle by Ryan Graudin Middle grade fantasy, dragons, magic castles, cat character, magic competition

Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera Sci fi, reincarnation, friendship, time stuff

The Cautious Traveler’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks Historical fantasy, train trip, magic, monsters, friends

Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima Short stories, speculative fiction, strange

Darkness and Demon Song by M.R. Founet Middle grade horror, monsters, forbidden spells, moms, Southern US setting

Please Stop Trying to Leave by Alana Saab Literary, surreal, lesbian, mental illness, healing

Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez Literary, queer, coming of age, immigrant story, mother relationship

Hot Summer by Elle Everheart Lesbian romance, reality show, comedy

The Lion’s Den by Iris Mwanza Historical queer legal thriller

Six of Sorrow by Amanda Lismeir Queer YA horror, small town, friendships, Yellowjackets comp

Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher Queer sci fi, space, AI, woman on a journey

A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell Trans historical romance on the British seaside

Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris Queer literary fiction, ghosts, resurrection, friendship, California

All Friends are Necessary by Tomas Moniz Queer literary fiction, queer community, found family, Washington

Director’s Cut by Carlyn Greenwald Lesbian romance, Hollywood, academia, rivals to lovers

The Sons of El Rey by Alex Espinoza Gay luchadores!!!!!, family, Mexico City, Los Angeles, 1980s, literary

Make It Count by Cece Telfer Trans sports memoir, running, Olympics

Cicada Summer by Erica McKeen Literary, queerd (queer + weird) fiction, book about a book, grief

The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron Historical fiction, queer lady pirate

But How Are You Really by Ella Dawson Romance, disaster bisexuals, found family

Triple Sec by TJ Alexander Queer poly romance, cocktail bars, NYC

We Could Be Heroes by Philip Ellis Gay romance, Hollywood, drag, acting

The Future Was Color by Patrick Nathan Gay historical fiction, 1950s Hollywood, LA, NYC, Las Vegas

Blessings by Chukwebuka Ibeh Literary fiction, gay, new adult, coming of age, Nigeria

youthjuice by E.K. Sathue Horror, satire, NYC, beauty industry

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monica Kim Horror, female serial killer

I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNichol Memoir, female pursuit of pleasure

Traveling by Ann Powers Joni Mitchell biography

Swimming Pretty by Vicki Valosik History of women and swimming

Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Abike Iyimide and Adiba Jaigirdar Romance, ex-best friends to lover, holiday celebration

Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb Romance, bird book

Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen Romance, fat protagonist, funny

How to Age Disgracefully by Claire Pooley Senior romance, funny, community

The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night by Lauren Farnsworth Romance, London, friendship, trivia

A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd Historical romance, Romeo and Juliet reimagining

Swift River by Essie Chambers Literary, new adult, 1980s, New England, family saga, mother and daughter, family secrets

Bright and Tender Dark by Joanna Peason Literary, murder, college campus, urban legends, debut

Bear by Julia Philips Literary, sisters, family, mysterious creature in the woods

Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo Literary, family drama

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay Horror, multiple timelines, surreal, filmmaking

Once Upon a Fever by Angharad Walker YA sci fi thriller, world where emotions are thought to cause disease

Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell YA thriller, murder, debut

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter Thriller, debut, sister’s disappearance, social media, dark corners of the internet

The Unwedding by Ally Condie Thriller, White Lotus meets Agatha Christie

One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon Thriller, Get Out meets The Stepford Wives

What Fire Brings by Rachel Howzell Hall Thriller, writer searching for missing friend, Los Angeles

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley Thriller, locked room murder mystery, luxury resort

Death in the Air by Ram Murali Mystery, debut, locked room, Knives Out meets Crazy Rich Asians

That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk Locked room mystery in a library, college, dark academia

Icon and Inferno by Marie Lu YA mystery romance, secret agents

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman Horror, family, motherhood

Moral Injuries by Christie Watson Psychological thriller, friendships, medicine, revenge

Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell Debut thriller, serial killer

July

I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones Horror, slasher, 1980s, Texas

The Night of Baba Yaga by Akira Otani Queer thriller, Kill Bill meets Thelma and Louise

The Ghost Keeper by Johanna Taylor Queer YA graphic novel, gothic horror romance, ghosts

Exes and Foes by Amanda Woody YA queer romance, competition

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky Queer YA horror, witches, female rage

No Road Home by John Fram Queer thriller, Texas, family secrets

Queen B by Juno Dawson Next in Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

You Had Me At Happy Hour by Timothy Janovsky Gay romance, mixology, Pennsylvania

Nicked by M.T. Anderson Debut, queer historical fantasy, medieval heist

Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass YA gay romance, vineyard summer job, rose festival

Evenings and Weekends by Oisin McKenna Queer literary fiction, London, new adult, sexy, funny

A Rose by Any Other Name by Mary McMyne Queer fantasy, Shakespeare retelling, occult romance

Toward Eternity by Anton Hur Queer sci fi, bio tech, nano-tech, meaning of life

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle Queer horror, Hollywood

Misrecognition by Madison Newbound Queer new adult literary fiction, funny, debut, sexuality

Portrait of a Shadow by Meriam Metoui YA horror romance, mystery, family secrets

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith YA horror, Ireland, estranged friends, creepy house

The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kolawole Literary, hotel, man on a journey, class, immigration

House of Shades by Lianne Dillsworth Historical fiction, Victorian London, female doctor, secrets

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton Historical fantasy, romance, magic, birds, rom com, competition, England

The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames Historical thriller, Italy, 1960s, village full of secrets, romance

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackston Historical fantasy, Victorian England, ghosts, library

A Lethal Lady by Nekesa Afria Historical mystery, Paria, perfume, murder

The Scandalous Life of Ruby Devereaux by M.J. Robotham Historical fiction, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo readalike

My Lady’s Secrets by Katy Moran Historical fiction, regency England, spies, romance

Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi Historical fantasy, Persephone retelling, court intrigue

Teddy by Emily Dunlay Debut historical fiction, Mad Men meets Lessons in Chemistry

They Dream in Gold by Mai Sennaar Literary fiction, epic family saga, family and identity

Liars by Sarah Manguso Literary fiction, motherhood, marriage, art

Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal Literary fiction, heart warming, island in the South Atlantic, funny, quirky, community

The Coin by Yasmin Zaher Literary fiction, NYC, teacher, a woman unraveling

Let Me Liberate You by Andie Davis Literary fiction, satire about activism and privilege

Tell It to Me Singing by Tita Ramirez Literary fiction, Cuban American family drama, debut, secrets, twisty

Smothermoss by Alisa Alering Literary, 1980s, Appalachia, sisters, monsters, weird fiction

Mysterious Setting by Kazushige Abe, translated by Michael Emmerich Japanese novella, funny and dark, sibling competition

The Losts Souls of Benzaiten by Kelly Murashige YA sci fi, Japanese mythology, mental health, robot vacuum cleaner

In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran Epic fantasy novella, visions, priestesses, cosmic war

A Certain Kind of Starlight by Heather Webber Fantasy, magic, small town, friendship

The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill Epic contemporary fantasy, Texas, magic, monsters, friendship

The Mirror of Beasts by Alexandra Bracken Sequel to Silver in the Bone

My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes Magical realism, generational trauma, grief, family saga

One Year Ago in Spain by Evelyn Skye Magical realism romance, second chance romance, ghosts and souls

Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard Found family space opera romance

Daughters of Chaos by Jen Fawkes Queer historical fantasy, Civil War era Nashville, female rage, powers, cult

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer Romantasy, magical world, disappearances

The Melancholy of Untold History by Minsoo Kang East-Asian inspired fantasy saga, gods and myths

The Second Son by Adrienne Tooley Sequel

Grief in the Fourth Dimension by Jennifer Yu Spec fic YA, death and afterlife

The Book of Elsewhere by China Mieville and Keanu Reeves Genre bendy spec fic

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh Romantasy, family secrets, telepaths

All This and More by Peng Shepard Choose your own adventure fantasy

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons High fantasy, heist with dragons

Quickly, While They Still Have Horses by Jan Carson Spec fic short stories

The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miya Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee Cozy Korean fantasy

The Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour Sci fi, invisible protagonist

Illustrated Girl by Josephine Angelin YA cozy fantasy

Women in the Valley of the Kings by Kathleen Shepard Feminist Egyptology history

Meet the Neighbors by Brandon Keim Science of animal intelligence

Jewel Me Twice by Charish Reid Steamy heist romance, second chances, Europe trip

The Widow on Dwyer Court by Lisa Kusel Sexy psychological thriller, writer protagonist

Body Check by Elle Kennedy Spicy hockey rom-com

Just Playing House by Farah Heron Romance, forced proximity, second chances, celebrity romance

Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman Thriller, inheritance with a cost, mansion in the British Virgin Islands

The Woman in the Garden by Jill Johnson Botanical poison murder mystery, plants, London

Bright Objects by Ruby Todd Thriller, debut, astronomy, romance, murder, a comet

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade Thriller, astrology, debut, wealthy retreat, secrets

The Bang Bang Sisters by Rio Youers Thriller, all girl vigilante rock band

The Wilds by Sarah Pearse Chilling thriller, vanish twin, Portuguese national park, mysterious map

It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant Mystery romance, missing principal, elementary school politics

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb Thriller, Hollywood, murder, famous family and their secrets

Summer’s End by Juneau Black Next Shady Hollow book

Docile by Hyesseung Song Memoir about being a daughter of Korean immigrants, mental illness, subverting model minority myth

Dateable by Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp Guide to dating for disabled people