As we enter the end of the month, now is a great time to reflect on some of the month’s most talked-about and loved books. Some of these books were on our list of the most anticipated books of 2026 that we dropped at the top of the year, while others were in our monthly new book round-up. No matter the list they made it on to, they are books that are living up to the hype.
In these BIPOC releases, we get a tale of early 2000s Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez, two timelines in a gothic Japan, a steamy romance with an artist, and more.
Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez
Putting aside my discomfort that a historical novel can be set in 2007, this is a fantastic meditation on a very particular moment in Brooklyn history. The neighborhood where the main character, Alicia, lives is Fort Greene. She finds joy and possibility in the all-night parties thrown by her neighbor La Garza. Neither Alicia nor her friends realizes that the coolness of Fort Greene is going to upend the neighborhood. Before the construction of the Barclays Center, and right at the tipping point of Brooklyn becoming expensive, Alicia and her friends and family try to find their way in NYC. —Julia Rittenberg
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
It’s 2026, and Lee Turner doesn’t know why he killed his college roommate. What he does know is that he needs to get out of New York, and that his father’s new house in Japan might make the perfect hideout. But there’s something wrong with the place— the bedroom window isn’t always a window, and a sword-wielding woman appears at night. Then there’s Sen, who, in 1877, is also in exile. She hides from the imperial soldiers in her family’s house, and, on top of everything else, there’s now a young foreign man who appears outside her window. And the gag is? “One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.” —Erica Ezeifedi
The Art of Loving You by Natasha Bishop
From the author of Only for One Week comes the second book in the Forever Falling series. Model-turned-influencer Dani Jenkins wants nothing to do with her ex, Micah, the artist who broke her heart. But then her mentor Tanya dies, and Tanya’s will requires Dani and Micah to join forces and complete a cross-country scavenger hunt. Did Tanya know what she was doing? Could this be their second chance at finding a happily ever after with each other? —Emily Martin
In Reading Color
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Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois
In this debut Caribbean-inspired fantasy featuring pirates and mermaids, lovers Lu and Nnenna are at odds when Nnenna works to protect the key that can help her find her people, while Lu has been sent on a mission to hunt it down and retrieve it. They’ll have to come to an arrangement before the ancient gods destroy them all. — Liberty Hardy
Honey in the Wound by Jiyoung Han
Young-Ja’s gift for imbuing food with emotions brings joy to everyone she meets. But when her family faces violent consequences for their defiance against the Japanese Empire in Korea, her joy turns to grief. Joining a resistance movement in Manchuria, where she can put her gift to use once again, helps, but it’s not until her young, Tokyo-born granddaughter begins exhibiting magical abilities of her own that she truly begins to confront the pain of her past and enjoy life again. —Rachel Brittain
Love by the Book by Jessica George
The author of Maame is back with an exploration of friendship, a trend I’ve been seeing (and loving) lately. Let’s start with Remy, whose debut novel about her three besties was instantly successful upon release. She’s lucky in that way, but on the other hand, now that she’s looking for inspiration for her next book, she can’t seem to find any…nor can she seem to find her friends, who have each drifted away from her. Then there’s Simone, a successful kindergarten teacher who is so busy with her main job and side hustle that she doesn’t have much in her left for a social life. Once the two literally bump into each other in a bookstore, they each might be just what the other needs. If they can get over their secrets, that is. —Erica Ezeifedi
If you want to keep things good and buzzy, make sure to check out this list of the best books to read with your book club to stay up to date on the latest, hottest books.
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