something to look forward to
my most anticipated 2025 reads part two
Hey! You’re here. Thank you.
At this point I am 50% iced coffee and 50% anxiety, how ‘bout you?
I am surviving this heatwave by over-caffeinating and worrying, Dunkin & Yaya are surviving by napping their way through it. I have a feeling they are on the right side of history.
With respect to all the summer lovers out there, my house is dreaming of cozy, crisp Fall reading days. Regardless of where you land on the summer/autumn spectrum, we’ve got some exciting books to look forward to in the second half of this year.
Way back in January I listed some of my most anticipated titles of the year. Have I read all the books on that list? No I have not. Am I going to give you another list of titles for the second half of the year? Yes I am! I am of the school of thought that a TBR (to be read list for the unitiated) can never be too long.
It’s hard to explain the comfort I feel knowing that we have these books to look forward to.
Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu // July 29th ~ I won’t lie, this one is mostly on the list because I am obsessed with that gorgeous cover. That said, it’s a literary debut that’s a coming-of-age novel about female friendship and that’s really all I need to know.
Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth // July 8th ~ Again, this one got me with that cover. It’s billed as a queer coming-of-age novel set in the stifling context of summer in a small, rural, conservative town in the early 90s. Also a debut!
The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar // August 5th ~ The beloved author of HOLES presents his first adult novel, a modern fantasy classic. SAY LESS. My friend
said, “is this just going to be an excuse for you to write more about Holes in your substack?” Yes. Yes. The answer is yes.Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama by Alexis Okeowo // August 5th ~ I love a memoir that does more and this one sounds fascinating - a blend of memoir, history, and reportage on one of the most complex and least understood states in America. Sign me up!
The People’s Project curated by Saeed Jones and Maggie Smith // September 9 ~ A collection of “meditations and strategies” inspired by the conversations between Saeed Jones and Maggie Smith in the wake of the the 2024 election. If that’s not enough for you, take a look at the contributors in this collection - so many heavy hitters! They are calling this “community in book form,” and I am ready.
Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice by Rachel Kolb // September 9 ~ I wrote about my excitement for Rachel Kolb’s debut memoir here, but I am going to say it again because this is a big one. Rachel is a brilliant writer and thinker and I could not be more excited for her debut memoir. Fans of what
of The Stacks Pod calls “Memoir plus” take note!Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor // October 14th ~ If Brandon Taylor is writing it, I’m reading it. These are the rules. This one is about a gay Black painter navigating the worlds of art, desire, and creativity. Let’s go.
Wreck by Catherine Newman // October 28th ~ If Catherine Newman is writing it, I’m reading it. These are the rules. This one is a follow up to Sandwich, featuring the same beloved cast of characters. Based on the cover, this seems like the autumn equivalent to Sandwich and, yeah, I’m in.
Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel // November 4th ~ I really enjoyed Aja Gabel’s 2018 debut, The Ensemble, so I am excited to see what she has in store for us with her follow up. This one’s got a light sci fi element and asks the question, what would you sacrifice for more time with the people you love?
Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi // November 4th ~ A steamy paranormal romance set in the Black South by Akwaeke Emezi??? GIVE IT TO ME.
Where There’s Room for Us by Hayley Kiyoko // November 4th ~ This YA novel is being billed as Little Women meets Pride and Prejudice but make it sapphic. These authors really know how to get me…
Palaver by Bryan Washington // November 4th ~ After the big one, this is probably my most anticipated novel of the year. I will read every word Bryan Washington writes and that’s a promise. This is his first novel with a new publisher, so I am really interested to see what it holds for us.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today. Tell me in the comments please, what books are you looking forward to in the second half of the year?
Update: still napping.
It’s such a hard, weird time to be alive - don’t forget to spend time with what delights you. Or just be like Dunkin and take a nap.
I love you.
Love,
Rosamond
They all sound great
I am trying to be low key about New Releases this year, but I am always HIGH KEY about my one and only B. Washington. I can't wait to weep and gush and weep and gush and weep and gush over it.