Top ten books published this month
August 2025
Automatic Noodle
by Annalee Newitz

"This refreshingly sweet and short tale is about a group of AI robots who band together in friendship to support each other -- and along the way they open a wonderful little restaurant for the humans who survived a devastating war. This novel is the hopeful kind of science fiction we need right now."

Diana Tixier Herald, LibraryReads Ambassador
NoveList read-alike: All Systems Red by Martha Wells
The Battle of the Bookshops
by Poppy Alexander

"This charming literary-themed novel is about a young woman determined to save her great aunt’s beloved bookshop from extinction by the shiny new competition -- which also happens to be run by the handsome son of her family’s rivals. This is a great read for those who enjoy enemies-to-lovers romance."

Karen Troutman, LibraryReads Ambassador
NoveList read-alike: Love to Hate You by Marina Adair
The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold
by Ally Carter

"Two former covert agents wake up handcuffed in a shed, then start a globe-trotting trip down memory lane as they escape and try to figure out who's behind it all and what they want. This fast-paced, bantery rivals-to- lovers, second-chance romcom adventure works as a sequel and companion to The Blonde Identity."

Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries, WA
NoveList read-alike: It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier
What Hunger
by Catherine Dang

"This gripping coming-of-age horror novel follows Ronny, who's entering high school when tragedy strikes her family. This is followed by an assault that alters her world. Forced to move forward, she must navigate the complexities of family life and a new school while carrying the weight of her trauma."

Dominique Brown, Tinley Park Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: The Lamb by Lucy Rose
The Wrong Sister
by Claire Douglas

"Alice and her husband Kyle are watching her sister Tasha’s children when the worst happens: they are attacked, leaving Alice in intensive care and Kyle dead. Was the target actually Tasha? This novel is full of suspense and secrets, and has great twists that will leave readers guessing."

Magan Szwarek, LibraryReads Ambassador
NoveList read-alike: Our House by Louise Candlish
The Locked Ward
by Sarah Pekkanen

"Georgia has been accused of murdering her sister, and her adoptive parents have her locked in a psych ward. The only person she asks to see is her biological twin, who she has never met. The twists and turns will have readers breathlessly rushing through the final pages."

Kaite Mediatore Stover, Kansas City Public Library, MO
NoveList read-alike: Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
The Magician of Tiger Castle
by Louis Sachar

"Anatole is a hairless magician tasked with getting the princess to fall out of love with Pito, a lowborn scribe, so she can proceed with her arranged marriage to a prince. A cozy fantasy novel brimming with Sachar's classic humor."

Michelle Morris, Fort Worth Public Library, TX
NoveList read-alike: Kill the Farm Boy by Kevin Hearne and Delilah S. Dawson
How to Be a Saint: An Extremely Weird and Mildly Sacrilegious History of the Catholic Church's Biggest Names
by Kate Sidley

"Readers will love the gruesome, weird, and goofy stories while they learn about the Catholic Church’s miracles, martyrs, and traditions. With lively humor, Sibley covers the lives of saints, Medieval European history, and the past and current process of canonization."

Migdalia Jimenez, Chicago Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: 
100 Places to See After You Die by Ken Jennings
Lucky Day
by Chuck Tingle

"Vera's life was perfect until a catastrophe so gruesome and unlikely that it resembled something out of a horror movie hit, causing her to question everything. Readers follow Vera as she is recruited by a secret government agency to help make sense of the events of that day four years ago and reset the scales of fate."

William Ives, La Crosse Public Library, WI
NoveList read-alike: Dr. No by Percival Everett
The Dead Husband Cookbook
by Danielle Valentine

"Maria's husband disappeared nearly 30 years ago, and now she's ready to tell her story. Enter Thea, an editor on the brink of career collapse. Arriving at Maria's country farm in an odd arrangement of secrecy, Thea will have to pick through Maria's story in order to save her career. A fun, fast read."

Andrea Galvin, Mt. Pulaski Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: Julie Tudor Is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich
Find more great reading recommendations in NoveList!
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