Books Around the Block

This week on Books Around the Block, we’re sharing our most-anticipated August 2025 new book releases! Each of us picked two upcoming titles we can’t wait to read—from buzzy thrillers to swoony romances to unputdownable page-turners. Whether you’re building your August 2025 TBR or hunting for your next great read, these exciting new releases deserve a spot on your list.

The Ruins by Scott Smith

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

High Season by Katie Bishop

Love at First Sighting by Mallory Marlowe

Too Old For This by Samantha Downing

In this episode, we’re recapping everything we read in July—think 5-star favorites, surprising standouts, and a few disappointments. Then we're looking ahead to our August TBR list! Whether you're into thrillers, romance, or literary fiction, we’ve got plenty of hot takes.

If you’re searching for your next great read, tune in for all the book recommendations you need to kick off the month.

We Don't Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

No More Secrets by Lucy Score

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf

Didion and Babitz by Lili Anolik

The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

It’s our official July book club episode, and we’re diving deep into One Golden Summer by bestselling author Carley Fortune.

In this episode, we break down the plot (spoiler alert!), share our favorite and least favorite moments, give honest star ratings, and even dream-cast the movie adaptation. Plus, don’t miss our announcement of the August book club pick—it’s a good one!

Whether you’ve read the book or just love a juicy summer love story (and don't mind spoilers), join us for laughs, feels, and lit-loving chaos.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Not sure what to read next? In this episode of Books Around the Block, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay shake up their reading plans with a fun TBR card challenge! Each cohost draws from a deck of prompt cards to determine their next read... from long-time shelf sitters to unexpected picks hiding in their stacks. Plus, we spill all the juicy drama about the mysterious Little Free Library Book Bandit wreaking havoc in our neighborhood. 

Want the TBR cards we used in this episode? Purchase them here!

Books mentioned in this episode:

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

11/22/63 by Stephen King

Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen M. McManus

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

Defending Jacob by William Landay

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

We’re halfway through 2025, and Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay are recapping the best five books we’ve read so far—and the ones that missed the mark. We’re also diving into book sales stats and the top-selling titles of the year. Tune in for hot takes, hidden gems, and a mid-year bookish breakdown!

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Don't Let Him in by Lisa Jewell

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

None of this is True by Lisa Jewell

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

Happy Place by Emily Henry

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Arrangement by Kiersten Modglin

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldtree

Stop Me if You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

Just in time for Prime Day, we’re sharing our favorite Kindle Unlimited book recommendations! This episode is your go-to guide for making the most of your KU subscription. Whether you’re new to Kindle Unlimited or a longtime fan, we’ve got something for every kind of reader!

👉Join Kindle Unlimited here!

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Quicksilver by Callie Hart

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

Good Morning Monster by Catherine Gildiner

Chestnut Springs Series/Heartless by Elsie Silver

Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino

The Boomerang by Robert Bailey

Till Summer Do Us Part by Megan Quinn

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

In this episode, we’re sharing our June wrap-up and what’s on our July TBR list! From 5-star reads and surprise favorites to books that didn’t quite hit the mark, we’re recapping everything we read in June. Then, we’re diving into our most anticipated July reads, including some new releases. Whether you're searching for beach reads, book club ideas, or hidden gems, we've got you.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

My Friends by Fredrick Backman

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

Dumb Big Eyes by Nate Bargatze

What The Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

Stop Me if You've Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss

My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

This week, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay are diving into Books Around the Block's June book club pick—The Tenant by Freida McFadden. It’s packed with twists, shady roommates, and secrets galore, and we’ve got plenty to say. Plus, stick around for a fun bonus segment where we each read a book chosen in honor of Lindsay’s birthday—let’s just say opinions were had.

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @booksaroundtheblockpod 

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Careless People by Sarah Winn Willians

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt

The Tenant by Freida McFadden

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

One Golden Summer by Carly Fortune

Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay are diving into one of the most opinionated topics in the book world: tropes. From the ones that make us swoon to the ones that make us roll our eyes, we’re breaking down the tropes we adore and despise. Tell us your most-loved and most-hated tropes over on Instagram and TikTok — @booksaroundtheblockpod.

Adrienne's Current Read: Untangled by Lisa Damon

Lindsay's Current Read: What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

Audrey's Current Read: Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

One Day in December by Josie Silver

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Six of Crows By Leigh Bardugo

Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

People we meet on vacation by Emily Henry

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shrieve

You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Savor It by Tarah Dewitt

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

Part of Your World by Abby Jiminez

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

In this episode, Adrienne, Audrey, and Lindsay are sharing the Summer 2025 book releases they’re most excited about. Each host picks a romance, a thriller, and a wild card—one book in any genre they can’t wait to read—releasing between June and August. Whether you’re headed to the beach or just the backyard, these new reads deserve a spot on your summer TBR.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Adrienne Read: My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Audrey Read: The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

Lindsay Read: Real Food/Fake Food by Larry Olmstead

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware