As summer settles in, many readers seek the perfect book to accompany lazy afternoons. This June, a diverse selection of new releases offers everything from family drama and historical fiction to gripping true stories and imaginative fantasy.
Here are 10 notable books arriving this month:
1. Waterline
By Aram Mrjoian
A century after escaping the Armenian massacres, Gregor Kurkjian builds a new life in Michigan with his wife, Mara. Their family carries the weight of past trauma into the present, coping in different ways when tragedy strikes again. Mrjoian’s debut novel intricately explores grief, love, and resilience across generations. (HarperVia, June 3)
2. Runs in the Family: An Incredible True Story of Football, Fatherhood, and Belonging
By Deland McCullough and Sarah Spain
McCullough, former NFL running back and coach, was adopted into a turbulent household but supported by mentors. His journey to discover his biological roots reveals profound insights into identity and belonging. This memoir vividly recounts his path to self-understanding and fatherhood. (Simon Element, June 3)
3. Park Avenue
By Renée Ahdieh
Amid the opulence of New York’s elite, the Park family’s empire begins to crumble. As secrets unravel, junior partner Jia Song investigates hidden assets, uncovering dark truths. Ahdieh’s first adult novel weaves wealth, romance, and betrayal against a backdrop of privilege. (Flatiron, June 3)
4. The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück: How an Intrepid Band of Frenchwomen Resisted the Nazis in Hitler’s All-Female Concentration Camp
By Lynne Olson
This powerful history tells of French resistance fighters imprisoned in the Ravensbrück camp during World War II. Despite brutal conditions, these women engaged in subversive acts, supporting one another through humor and solidarity. Olson highlights their enduring fight for recognition post-war. (Random House, June 3)
5. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil
By V.E. Schwab
From the author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue comes a darkly sensual novel about three female vampires across centuries. Their intertwined stories challenge societal constraints as they claim agency over their desires and destinies. (Tor, June 10)
6. Florenzer
By Phil Melanson
Set in 15th-century Florence, this historical novel explores the lives of Leonardo da Vinci, priest Francesco Salviati, and Lorenzo de’ Medici as they navigate ambition, desire, and duty amid Renaissance tensions. (Liveright, June 10)
7. Far and Away
By Amy Poeppel
After scandal disrupts her life, Lucy swaps homes with Greta, a Berlin native adjusting to Texas culture. As both women adapt to new worlds, they confront lingering challenges and cultural clashes in this warm, insightful novel. (Emily Bestler, June 10)
8. These Heathens
By Mia McKenzie
Seventeen-year-old Doris Steele’s unplanned pregnancy leads her into the heart of Atlanta’s civil rights movement, where she meets activists and begins to question the life laid out for her. McKenzie’s novel blends humor and history to explore female autonomy. (Random House, June 17)
9. When Sleeping Women Wake
By Emma Pei Yin
Following the Tang family’s flight from wartime Shanghai to Hong Kong, this novel traces three women’s struggles during the Japanese occupation, balancing survival, resistance, and love in perilous times. (Ballantine, June 17)
10. The House on Buzzard’s Bay
By Dwyer Murphy
A long-time group of friends gathers at a New England summer home, where eerie events and a disappearance sow distrust. Murphy’s noir thriller probes the complexities of friendship and adulthood. (Viking, June 24)
Whether you’re seeking historical depth, personal memoir, or suspenseful fiction, these June releases offer compelling stories sure to engage every reader.
