Must-Read Books
July 2026
Adult Fiction
Cover of A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict
A Pair of Aces
by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

In 1930s Manhattan, the city's first Black woman prosecutor, Eunice Carter, interviews Polly Adler, who owns the city's best brothel, and the two women from vastly different worlds realize they can help each other. None of Eunice's male colleagues have been able to touch gangster Lucky Luciano, who's recently put Polly's workers in danger, so the pair utilize a network of women to assemble evidence. Read-alike: Diane Richard's Ella.
Cover of The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders
The Great Wherever
by Shannon Sanders

An impulsive and heartbroken woman inherits her father's share of a Tennessee farm that is rich in family secrets and occupied with busybody ghosts in this sweeping family portrait.
Cover of Wisdom Corner by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
Wisdom Corner
by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Virgil Wounded Horse is desperately trying to escape his past as a hired vigilante on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. But when a legendary figure from the reservation is murdered, Virgil is forced to return to the job. Making matters more complicated, threats are coming from the Pine Ridge 705--a street gang from a neighboring reservation who want to expand their reach into Rosebud--and Mitch Gagnon, a shady politician who will stop at nothing to gain more power.
Cover of Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim
Sublimation
by Isabel J. Kim

In this high-concept novel, emigration creates two copies of a person. These can be reintegrated, or both iterations can go about their lives, one in the home country, one in the new. They can keep in touch, or not. Rose Kang left Korea for the United States at ten, and hasn't spoken to her other self, Soyoung, since. Now Rose is in Korea for a funeral, and Soyoung wants to meet. Meanwhile, a tech company hopes to monetize reintegration. Sublimation is the debut novel of award-winning short story writer Isabel J. Kim. For fans of: Apple TV's Severance.
Cover of The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
The Last Contract of Isako
by Fonda Lee

Isako's long legacy as a legendary samurai for hire is close to an end. When she's offered one last job she can't refuse, she's suddenly thrust into a world of espionage far more complex than she can handle...and secrets that may change all of humanity. Immersive, evocative, and full of unique worldbuilding, this space opera with an older female protagonist will be a treat for readers of Shannon Chakraborty's The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi and Bethany Jacobs' These Burning Stars.
Cover of The Butler by Clare Mackintosh
The Butler
by Clare Mackintosh

Skilled professional butler Baxter agrees to work at a French villa rented by wealthy Alec Prescott for a week and gets mixed up with murder. The guests are: Alec's only child, Carter, who's celebrating his 21st birthday; Carter's girlfriend; Alec's girlfriend; Alec's ex-wife; and a Hollywood couple in town for the Cannes Film Festival. Things heat up, ending with a body in the pool, but with help from a young pickpocket and others, indomitable Baxter sets things to rights in this fun, fast-paced read. For fans of: Sian Gilbert's I Did Warn Her. 
Cover of Alan Opts Out by Courtney Maum
Alan Opts Out
by Courtney Maum

Advertising exec Alan Anderson has built a thriving business and lives the good life in suburban Connecticut with his wife and two girls. But after he messes up the biggest presentation of his career, he has an epiphany and decides to opt out of capitalism. His wife wants a pool and isn't happy when Alan moves into their backyard playhouse to live off the land. But instead of shocking the neighbors, Alan's lifestyle might be catching on. Try this next: Gabriel Bump's The New Naturals.
Cover of Safari Murder Party by Rachel Moore
Safari Murder Party
by Rachel Moore

After years as an overworked executive assistant, Fletcher Spence finally attends a luxury corporate retreat on a private island, but upon arrival, she finds the CEO dead and a twisted inheritance game in motion. With no escape and trust in short supply, Fletcher must navigate shifting alliances and danger to survive the week-long power struggle.
Cover of Heather by Caitlin Mullen
Heather
by Caitlin Mullen

Callie Hauser moves back to her New Jersey Pine Barrens hometown to be the police chief and help her best friend, who's recovering from a hit-and-run. Soon, she's pulled into a 30-year-old cold case that her estranged mother seemingly has ties to and which also involves missing 16-year-old twin sisters and a deceased baby. For fans of: Liz Moore’s Long Bright River; HBO's Mare of Easttown.
Cover of We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel
We Dance Upon Demons
by Vaishnavi Patel

Burnt out from depression and the stress of being a reproductive healthcare worker in America, Nisha doesn't need more problems when she suddenly acquires the ability to alter reality from a statue at an Indian art exhibit. But as forces begin to converge on her, Nisha will have to reconnect with her culture and learn from the women before her to regain control of her life. This fantastical story of community, autonomy, and self-discovery will appeal to fans of The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings.  
Cover of Bromantasy by Máire Roche
Bromantasy
by Máire Roche

Homebody farmer Juniper O'Reilly and his longtime best friend and roommate, adventure-seeking Morn "Mo" Elmthorn, unexpectedly find themselves on a dragon-hunting quest after running afoul of the law. This fast-paced and lighthearted send-up of romantasy tropes will appeal to fans of Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne's Tales of Pell novels and Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes series.
Cover of Score by Kennedy Ryan
Score
by Kennedy Ryan

Ten years after their college romance ended in heartbreak, screenwriter Verity Hill and composer Wright "Monk" Bellamy reunite on the set of a Harlem Renaissance biopic and struggle to keep things strictly professional. This steamy second-chance romance is the 2nd in bestselling author Kennedy Ryan's Hollywood Renaissance series. Try this next: August Lane by Regina Black.
Cover of The Last Human Bear by Greg Sarris
The Last Human Bear
by Greg Sarris

Mary Hatcher, an elderly Pomo woman, describes her unusual life. Raised by a stepmother in 1930s California, who teaches her about shapeshifting human bears, poisoning, and more, Mary doesn't fit in and isn't trusted. Later, able to pass as white or Native, she successfully makes her own way, but wonders about her past, future, and capacity to harm in this compelling novel inspired by the author's childhood. Try this next: Oyinkan Braithwaite's Cursed Daughters.
Adult Nonfiction
Cover of America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries by Eddie S. Glaude
America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries
by Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.

New York Times bestselling author Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own) incisively examines the racial contradictions of America's founding in his reflective history that demythologizes 250 years of the country's milestone anniversaries. Further reading: The Great Contradiction: The Tragic Side of the American Founding by Joseph J. Ellis.
Cover of Inspiration Porn: Essays by Ryan O'Connell
Inspiration Porn: Essays
by Ryan O'Connell

Author and television writer Ryan O’Connell (I’m Special) presents a memoir in essays in which he keeps the tone irreverent and jokey while discussing navigating life as a disabled gay man (he has a mild form of cerebral palsy). O’Connell talks about his early struggles with dating, addiction, and insecurity before he found the confidence to write in his own voice, leading to a successful Hollywood writing career and a long-term relationship. For fans of: Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success by Jeff Hiller.
Cover of On Witness and Respair: Essays by Jesmyn Ward
On Witness and Respair: Essays
by Jesmyn Ward

MacArthur Fellow Jesmyn Ward's reflective latest collects nearly two dozen essays, lectures, and other pieces published from 2008-2025, covering writing, film, literature, and her experiences as a Black woman. Try this next: To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul by Tracy K. Smith.
Youth Fiction
Cover of Breakout by Dhonielle Clayton
Breakout
by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon

New kid Anthony invites five of his high-achieving classmates for a spring break vacation at his father’s luxury resort. When a tropical storm wreaks havoc, dark secrets begin to emerge. The superstar team of authors who collaborated on Whiteout and Blackout deliver this clever thriller.
Cover of Camp Big Top by Alexandra Diaz
Camp Big Top
by Alexandra Diaz

Twelve-year-old Mario's summer takes an unusual twist after his abuela signs him up for circus camp. Reluctant at first, Mario soon warms up to the activities and the other campers, and is ready to help save the circus when it's threatened with closure. Readers who like offbeat yet realistic stories won't want to miss this one.
Cover of We Are Joy by Chrystal D. Giles
We Are Joy
by Chrystal D. Giles; illustrated by Kitt Thomas

Told through elegant, poetic words and swirling, jewel-toned illustrations, this affirming picture book celebrates all the facets of Black joy. On each spread, Black children are shown with their loved ones as they play, eat, learn, protest, and revel in the resilience and warmth of community. Read-alikes: Tami Charles' All Because You Matter; Natasha Tarpley's The Me I Choose to Be.
Cover of Midsummer Sisters (a Graphic Novel) by Niki Smith
Midsummer Sisters
by Niki Smith

With their parents' marriage in trouble, stepsisters and best friends Quinn and Kenzie are visiting Gramma on North Carolina's Outer Banks. There, they become attached to a wild foal, while also wondering what will happen if their parents get divorced. Delicate yet expressive artwork highlights the big emotions in this graphic novel.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
LA County Library
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Downey, California 90242
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