What We’re Anticipating: June and July Reads
By Meg Jones, Alfie Kimmins, Georgia Wells and Sarah Ernestine
Notes on Heartbreak by Annie Lord
23 June, Orion
Annie Lord, reeling from a broken heart, revisits the past – from the first time she fell in love, to the months that saw the slow deterioration of a bond that had been five years in the making. We feel Annie's pain, join her as she heals and cringe or laugh in recognition of our own experiences as Annie charts her attempts to move on, from disastrous rebound sex to sending ill-advised nudes, stalking her ex's new girlfriend on Instagram and the sharp humiliation of being ghosted. This is a love story told in reverse, beginning with a breakup. It's dark, ferocious and vulnerable. It details the best and worst aspects of love: the euphoric and the agonising, the lovely and the unappealing. It is an unflinchingly honest reminder of the joy and pain of being in love that will speak to anyone who has ever nursed a broken heart.
Lingering by Chris Coppel
28 June, Cranthorpe Milner
"The woods appeared dark and foreboding. Dozens and dozens of slanted yellow eyes flickered open and stared back at the house from between the trees, where the darkness was blacker than black. Those eyes were not human. Paul and Christy are both looking forward to a fresh start when they buy Croft House. Christy's abusive father is dying and she is eager to put the past behind her. However, the house has other plans. They quickly realise there is something in the house that is constantly striving to communicate with them. In their terror, they seek the assistance of a local psychic to expel this entity and, in the process, unleash something far, far worse."
This terrifying new horror novel from Chris Coppel, author of Luck, Liner, and Legacy, is available 28 June in paperback.
Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
30 June 2022, Penguin Random House Children’s UK
At the beginning of summer, Ivy learns about the dark secrets that her mother, Dana, is hiding. An unnatural offering at her doorstep triggers a collection of unnerving events that threaten to uproot Ivy’s fragmented childhood memories.
Dana’s story begins at the age of sixteen, when her relations with the supernatural take an unexpected turn. She realises that the powers she is playing with are also beginning to play with her.
Years later, Ivy and Dana realise the dangers of playing with the unpredictable supernatural and now, mother and daughter must face the consequences of allowing dark forces to enter their lives.
Who We Were in the Dark by Jessica Taylor
5 July, Penguin Random House
Nora fell in love with Grace at Donner Lake. Donner is a sanctuary, famous for its beauty and picturesque landscape, but is also haunted by the stranded travellers whose need for survival drove them to commit unspeakable acts. Nora spends every break across the seasons by the lake with her brother, Wesley, their friend, Rand, and Grace. They, too, are travellers, leaving their lives behind for Donner Lake and each other. They share their lives in turn, trading truths and dealing in lies and secrets. Captivated by each other, the four friends are inseparable and their bond is unbreakable. Until Grace goes missing. Nora must acknowledge the heartbreak and betrayal weaved throughout their time together and – with the help of Wesley and Rand – find the truth about the enigmatic girl who stole their hearts. Part thriller, part coming-of-age narrative, Who We Were in the Dark is an explosive exploration of identity and belonging.
Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch
7 July, Canongate Books
The bestselling author of The Book of Joan and The Small Backs of Children is back with a new science-fiction novel to kick off the summer. Thrust follows the story of young Laisve, a motherless girl learning to navigate her own powers and the oppressing politics of her fallen city, the Brook. Laisve can harness the power within significant objects and use it to travel through time.
When Laisve discovers a talisman that connects her with a variety of individuals from centuries past with different backgrounds, she navigates a complicated time web to travel back to the start of her corrupted country, fighting to solve the problems before they began. When the past and the future collide, will Laisve and her world be saved or lost to time? This novel is said to spark imagination and evoke questions in readers, following in line with the successes of Yuknavitch’s previous titles.