Buzz Books Publishing in August

Romance, murder, and all types of monsters howl through August’s Buzz Books. We asked early readers for their thoughts: find out what high-stakes stories to add to your TBR.

The Unknown by Riley Sager (Dutton, August 4)

“Sager spruces up well-worn genre tropes with aplomb….Sager’s many fans will walk away satisfied.”
—Publishers Weekly

Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (Berkley, August 4)

“A truly amazing book! Time Travel for Beginners is absolutely gorgeous, smart, funny, deep, dreamy, and perfect. And it comes together beautifully at the end. It left my heart full and happy.”
—Rachel Cohn, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty (Riverhead, August 4)

“Sunlight Finds You is a riveting story of young love and battered hope. It's the kind of book that makes you lean closer, then hold your breath as the beauty and betrayal unfold. I couldn’t stop reading. I couldn’t stop hoping. What an extraordinary novel!” —Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River

Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LaCour (Flatiron, August 4)

“Fans of Nella Larsen’s Passing will enjoy this sympathetic tale about the secrets a family keeps among themselves and from each other as they grapple with societal prejudice during the mid-20th century.”
—Library Journal

Heavensent & Hellbent by Sara Jafari (Delacorte, August 11)

“An entrancing modern fairy tale of star-crossed love, mysterious family secrets, and imaginative, otherworldly warfare. I loved the intricate world built on Iranian mythology, and I’d read a million more volumes. An unforgettable, devastatingly written, oh-so-satisfying romance.”
—Alexene Farol Follmuth, New York Times bestselling author of Twelfth Knight

Natural Selection by Clare Edge (Delacorte, August 25)

“It’s been ages since I devoured a book this quickly.”
—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

“A feminist revenge masterpiece.”
—Megan Lally, New York Times bestselling author of That’s Not My Name

Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay (Erewhon, August 25)

“Gorgeous, feral, and strikingly original, Portrait of a Witch Undone is a love letter to the wild magic of the North Shore marshlands, the otherworldly allure of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (and its infamous heist), the power of female friendship, and the searing thrill of stepping into one’s own power. A captivating, uncanny enchantment of a book, and a pure delight for readers hungry for a fresh take on witchcraft.”
—Lana Harper, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Witches of Thistle Grove series

The Unheld by Luke Larkin (Hyperion Avenue, August 25)

“Reading this book is like watching the perfect modern western feminist horror. It has characters you care about and root for from the beginning. I was deeply invested in their story and LOVED Charlie. Watching her grow from a mousy, lonely twelve-year-old into the powerhouse that saves the town, fueled by rage, was an absolute pleasure. Her misfit friends have complicated stories, and support her and are a little bit in awe of her. They are just the perfect compliment to her quest to defeat the absolute most nightmarish beast you can imagine. The writing is so crisp you can almost FEEL the dust in the small town, the darkness in the forest and the horror in the beast’s den. I read it one sitting and will be recommending it to EVERYONE!”
—Andrea Iriarte, Molly’s Bookstore (Melrose, MA)

“The atmosphere of this book is immaculate. A lonely, dusty, old west Montana town being haunted by strange creatures lurking in the forest where the plains meet the mountains. But The Unheld is so much more than that. It’s a story of unrequited love, found family, and transformation.”
—Katie Boyle, Rediscovered Books (Boise, ID)