7 of the Best New Book Releases Out July 28, 2026

There was a great adaptation announcement over the weekend. David Jonsson, who did phenomenally in the 2025 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk, will play T’Challa II in the upcoming Black Panther movie. Jonsson’s character is the secret son of King T’Challa, played by the late Chadwick Boseman. Despite Black Panther being a part of one of the most money-makingest franchises ever, I really appreciate how they handled the sudden loss of Boseman, which is to say that they did not rush to replace him for the next movie. Leading with an entirely new character allows space for Boseman’s legacy, as it does for fans to see more of the series. Ryan Coogler says the new movie will be out in December 2028, which feels like both a long time and somehow right around the corner. As for the new books this week, there’s a specific subset of our readership that will really appreciate the comics collection Birding Is My Favorite Video Game by Rosemary Mosco. For romance lovers, a librarian and a high school teacher get busy in Gabriella Gamez’s Second First Dates, and two paleontologists hunt for more than fossils in Fossil Feud by Maggie North. More of the most notable new books out today i...