Is it still summer? IDK, but my TBR is on fire 🔥
The 12 August 2025 Books I Can’t Stop Thinking About (And I Haven’t Even Read Them Yet)
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#26: The 12 August 2025 Books I Can’t Stop Thinking About (And I Haven’t Even Read Them Yet)
August always feels like the Sunday of summer, doesn’t it? You’re trying to enjoy it, but your brain is already spiraling into September.
And my coping mechanism? Pre-ordering too many books and pretending I have time to read them all. (I do not. But that’s not the point.)
This month’s list of most anticipated August reads is giving: vampires, secret societies, messy witches, pirate ships, magical academia, amateur sleuths, and one very tired serial killer who just wants to play bingo in peace.
No, I haven’t read them yet. Yes, I am already emotionally invested.
But first, a quick cosmic vibe check.
Astro Bonus: What the Stars Are Saying
We’re still in the tail end of Cancer season, so if you’re feeling a little sentimental or suddenly convinced you need a new journal, that’s why. But heads up, Leo season starts July 23, and that shift is bringing main character energy. Drama. Flash. Bold moves.
And the kicker? Mercury enters Virgo today, which is your sign to make lists (hi, TBR), organize your digital life, and make actual plans to read the books you keep “saving for later.”
So if you’re feeling a little nostalgic and a little chaotic? You’re not alone. Let’s lean into it…with books.
What I’m Listening to Right Now…
I’m currently listening to the Spotify audiobook exclusive of Room for Two by Lana Ferguson (releasing in August) and friends, it’s giving: quiet scowly barista guy x sunshine professor, accidental roommate setup, and a kiss that may or may not have happened.
It’s short, it’s steamy, and thoroughly enjoying it.
August 2025 Most Anticipated Releases: THE BOOKS (a.k.a. my future personality traits)
→ Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter
Modern fantasy world stitched together from broken gods and cursed nights, a panic-prone heroine thrown into combat school, and a secret society guarding future-telling books? Yes. Inject it. High Prince included.
→ Gabriela and His Grace by Liana de la Rosa
A Mexican heiress + a broke British duke + one scandalous boat trip = tension, banter, and vibes. Historical romance with big “I will not be proper” energy.
→ Endless Anger by Sav R. Miller
Imagine if dark academia and the Greek Furies had a baby and enrolled it at a deadly university with secret societies, sacrifices, and one emotionally constipated hero who will press you against the bookshelves.
→ The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh
Yes, I’ve already read this. Yes, I will keep screaming about it. Female pirate witches, sea monsters, and one very confused British naval officer she kidnaps and maybe falls for? Obsessed.
→ The Deathless One by Emma Hamm
She gets murdered at the altar, makes a deal with the god of death, and might fall in love with him instead of reclaiming her throne. Vengeance-to-lust pipeline? Check.
→ ZomRomCom by Olivia Dade
Zombie outbreak meets grumpy vampire roommate and one extremely hot sword. If Warm Bodies and The Proposal had a paranormal baby with a bunker.
→ Toni and Addie Go Viral by Melissa Marr
A professor + her actress crush accidentally go viral for a fake wedding. It’s sapphic chaos with Victorian cosplay and feelings. Yes, I’m in love with both of them.
→ A Silence in Belgrave Square by Jennifer Ashley
Victorian mystery. Blackmail. Scotland Yard agent in disguise. And a cook-slash-sleuth heroine trying to save her man and the Crown. Serve.
→ The Serpent’s Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
She’s infiltrating the vampire mafia by posing as the prince’s bride… so she can kill him. Unfortunately, he’s hot. Tropes? Enemies-to-lovers. Marriage of convenience. Moral crises.
→ The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch
Grad school but make it magical. Two rival wizard boys forced to share a lab, compete for a grant, and deal with... mutual thirst. Nerdy, chaotic, and dangerously charming.
→ Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
A retired serial killer just wants to vibe and play bingo… until a nosy journalist shows up and forces her out of retirement. Campy, sharp, and sinister.
→ Just Another Dead Author by Katarina Bivald
A mystery author goes to a writer’s retreat in the French countryside… and someone ends up dead. It’s giving Clue with publishing industry tea. I am unwell.
Want More August Book Recs?
If your TBR isn’t crying yet, I’ve got more August book releases and lists over on the blog:
Most Anticipated August 2025 Book Releases (across genres)
Did you miss last week’s Insider? Check it out here:
Things You Might’ve Missed This Week…
Because you can’t be everywhere, and that’s why I am.
July Book Recs for Your Zodiac Sign
Your sign said you needed a gothic family secret book, so I delivered.Books Coming to the Screen in August
Three big adaptations are dropping next month, and I’ve got popcorn at the ready.Should You Read The Map That Leads to You Before Watching the Movie?
Let’s just say… it depends on your tolerance for emotional damage.
PS: This month we’re also doing something a little special behind the scenes… Paid members will get exclusive access to our Summer Reading Reset Guide. A seasonal slow-down tool with rituals, reflection prompts, a printable tracker and more.
New Releases of the Week
Don’t miss these 6 releases for the week of July 14 - 20, 2025
Here are 5 standout new releases that hit shelves this week, whether you're craving angst, action, or a little puppy love, these should be on your radar:
Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
In this latest Psy-Changeling Trinity novel, a psychic heroine on the edge of collapse is forced to work with the changeling man she betrayed years ago, while tracking a serial killer in falcon territory. Emotional, intense, and full of second-chance tension.
The Reluctant Flirt by Jennifer Probst
She thought her one-night stand in NYC was a fluke, until he shows up in her small town as the developer trying to tear down her shop. Now it's enemies-to-lovers with serious second chance energy and small-town drama.
In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy
A romantasy debut featuring a siren in hiding, a broody king, and a blood bond that sends them through undead-infested waters. Atmospheric, dark, and perfect if you're into morally gray powers and creepy sea vibes.
Pugs and Kisses by Farrah Rochon
A second chance romance between two vets (the animal kind!) who team up to save the shelter where they first met. Think cute puppies, old crushes, and warm fuzzy feels. For fans of Jasmine Guillory and Abby Jimenez.
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A multigenerational witchy horror with academic vibes, set across three timelines. If you loved Mexican Gothic or haunted campus stories, this one blends folklore and mystery with dark feminine energy.
Catch up on this week’s Novel Hour Live show
This week Victoria from Bibliolifestyle and I chatted about alien book recommendations, what we’re watching (spoiler: I gave my first impressions of the Black Dagger Brotherhood TV series) and more new releases.
Join us every Thursday at 12PM EST for our Novel Hour show on Youtube.
Let’s Chat:
That's all from me, unless I download more audiobooks in a moment of weakness (again). If you read any of these before I do, come yell at me about them in the comments.
xo,
Francesca
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Sharing our love for books as Under the Covers Book Blog since 2011, running the Romanceopoly yearly reading challenge since 2019 and hosting the Reading Under the Covers podcast since 2020. Launched Mysterylandia in 2025.
LOL, yes, August is the Sunday of Summer for sure. I've felt a rush about fitting in all the books, too. I read ZomRomCom and Dade has done her debut PNR well. You have me intrigued now about the Bingo-playing retired serial killer.