Soak Up the Last of Summer With These August 2023 New Book Releases

But before August ends and school starts once more, derailing your carefully-laid TBR with textbooks or research studies, you should check out these new book releases for 2023. Not only are your favorite authors writing haunting sequels and adventurous prequels, but new debut authors are publishing their first works just in time for the air to crisp and pumpkin spice lattes to go back in stores everywhere.

All lists from Distractify are non-exhaustive, so if you see your favorite read missing, drop us a line and tell us!

Set in 1923, Broadway Butterfly is the true crime story of the murder of flapper Dot King. Daily News crime reporter Julia Harpman, NYPD detective John D. Coughlin, and Ella Bradford, the victim’s maid, are tangled in the web of mystery. All eyes are on Julia as she races against the clock on a quest for justice.

Broadway Butterfly releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

Behind the Atwood School is the Narrow, a river that runs too fast and deep for anyone to swim. Six years ago, Eden White saw Delphine Fournier fall into the Narrow — and live. Delphine lives isolated from the world, and Eden works as her live-in companion. But Eden soon unravels a deeper mystery: that the last companion of Delphine's was found dead, half-drowned, on dry land.

The Narrow releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

John Boarhog and Inspector Toadius McGee are off on their latest adventure: booking passage on a luxury cruise liner airship. But in a rush to intercept the Mauve Moth, John and Toadius find themselves at odds over John joining the Society of Sleuths (S.O.S.). Frustrated with his mentor, John joins a new crowd of teens who use social media for fame. But will the detectives set aside their differences when evil resurfaces?

The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves 2: S.O.S. releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

Gemma is a radio producer in L.A. with a famous rocker for a dad. After years of men trying to use her to get to her dad (and his record deals), she's done dating musicians. But when she meets Jack, Gemma gets a funny feeling of déjà vu she can't seem to shake. Jack gently tells Gemma that they've been stuck in a time loop for months on end — so why doesn't she remember? The key to escape is simple: Gemma must fall in love with Jack.

The Déjà Glitch releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

12-year-old Al Schneider is scared to talk about the two biggest issues in her life: her stomach hurts all the time, and she thinks she likes girls. After a colonoscopy reveals Al has Crohn's disease, everyone wants Al to talk about her issues when she'd rather keep it all inside.

The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

A historical fiction examination of the life of Princess Diana before she was a global figure, The Princess details Diana Spencer's youth as a dreamy-eyed adolescent who loved romance novels and struggled at school. Can she keep her dream of love alive after a rocky road to her own wedding with Prince Charles?

The Princess releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

This graphic novel follows two student activists as they accidentally travel through time to learn how to protect Earth from plastic pollution in the present. Environmentalist Charlie loves the science fair, but his partner, Oliver, would rather doodle all day. When a mechanical mishap sends them back in time, they must work together to get back to the present.

Team Trash: A Time Traveler's Guide to Sustainability releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

Lauren Fox works at Cold World, a tourist attraction that's wintery year-round, despite the humidity in Orlando, Fla. Her coworker-slash-rival, Asa, is enthusiastic about the humble park, even when Lauren is less than excited about her job. So when their boss asks Lauren and Asa to craft a proposal to bring more money to the park, their rivalry heats up—but would they work better together?

With Love, From Cold World releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

In this YA debut, 17-year-old Gil starts his senior year at a private, predominantly white Manhattan school instead of his beloved public school in Brooklyn. After a racist run-in with the school's golden boy leaves only Gil suspended, he decides to make a space for himself and other Black students by using The Art of War to take on the racist administration policies, parents, and students.

True True releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

When Con and Sofie's mom disappears without a trace, the two have to rely on each other to survive. Sofie knows Con is always there for her, but when their guardianship becomes uncertain and their mom is arrested, Sofie must also learn to find comfort in herself.

Forget-Me-Not Blue releases on Aug. 1, 2023.

Vampire Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent. The house she needs to sell is haunted, and the ghost refuses to leave until he can solve the mystery of his murder. Enter Fox D’Mora, a medium and con artist, who might be more helpful than he seems as the godson of Death. Viola and Fox must team up on a quest that takes them beyond their wildest expectations (and maybe even death).

Masters of Death releases on Aug. 8, 2023.

When a woman wakes up in Paris with no memory, a splitting headache, and a hot guy telling her to run as her life depends on it, she does what he says. She quickly learns that she has amnesia and is the identical twin of a spy who works with a very attractive secret agent. Posing as newlyweds, the duo attempt to escape to Europe before someone figures out the ruse and puts both of their lives in the balance. But will they find love instead?

The Blonde Identity releases on Aug. 8, 2023.

Before they were turned into Gorgons, sisters Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale were immortals curious about the life of mortals. When they get caught in the crossfire of an Olympian rivalry, the sisters must stand as a force united against greater threats. After all, even monsters have family.

Medusa's Sisters releases on Aug. 8, 2023.

Tatum hasn't seen her daughter, Adrienne, in years since her husband disowned her. Tatum gathers the courage to secretly reconnected with her daughter, only for Adrienne to vanish shortly after. When a mysterious man claims to be Adrienne's fiancé, Tatum is relieved someone will listen to her concerns. But is this man who he says he is?

In a Quiet Town releases on Aug. 8, 2023.

Evie Archer moves to Ravenglass, Mass., after her parent's messy divorce, hoping for a fresh start. But the house they move into is known as the Horror House after the disappearance of former resident Holly Hobbie. Strange sounds and shadows lurk around every corner, and Evie loses herself as she learns about The Lost Girl. Is history doomed to repeat itself in the Horror House?

Holly Horror releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

In a near-future London, citizens can have a small implant designed to access a social media experiment of augmented reality. But the British government has other, more authoritarian plans for this technology, slowly tipping the scales from fun experiment to authoritarian nightmare.

More Perfect releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

NASA astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi (born James Edward Plummer) recounts his journey from a difficult childhood to a troubled adolescence before finally landing among the stars at Stanford's top physics PhD program.

A Quantum Life (Adapted for Young Adults) releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

After driving drunk and causing an accident that kills her little sister, fifteen-year-old Violetta Chen-Samuels enters the juvenile justice system. She has two options: remain in juvenile detention or undergo the Trials, interactive experiences to strengthen rehabilitation efforts. As Violetta enters the trials, her brother Vince struggles at home, and the novel unpacks themes of blame, guilt, and self-forgiveness.

Forgive Me Not releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

In a follow-up to Tales to Keep You Up At Night, Gilbert is visiting his brother, Ant, in the hospital, when he sees a shadowy figure leave behind a satchel with old cassette tapes. As Gil starts to listen to the tapes, he realizes that the stories might hold a key to helping Ant.

More Tales to Keep You Up At Night releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

Sloan and Cherry are the two surviving members of a summer camp massacre in which masked men with machetes left their fellow counselors dead. In the wake of their trauma, they fell in love — but it isn't all happily ever after. Months later, Sloan begins to suspect her girlfriend is more than just a survivor. But is Cherry a victim, or is she a perpetrator?

The Last Girls Standing releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

Toadling was stolen from her family by faeries as a baby, and as an adult, the fae have one request: return to the human world to offer a blessing of protection on a newborn. Centuries later, a kind knight approaches a tower covered in brambles to break a curse — a curse that Toadling would do anything to uphold...

Thornhedge releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

Sunny Park is a typical middle schooler: she loves the K-Pop band Supreme Beat, hanging with her grandma, eating shrimp chips, and hanging out with Bailey, her best friend. When Bailey suggests that she and Sunny audition for the school dance team to "parent trap" Bailey's divorced parents, Sunny agrees — except Bailey doesn't make the team. Now, Sunny is torn between friendship and stepping into her own spotlight.

Make A Move, Sunny Park! releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

In 1840s Mexico, Nena is the daughter of ranchers, so she's faced off against monstrous settlers her whole life. But nine years ago, something attacked Nena from the shadows, prompting Néstor, her childhood sweetheart, to move from ranch to ranch in his grief. When the United States invades Mexico, the two must find each other again against a greater evil, including a nightmare made flesh.

Vampires of El Norte releases on Aug. 15, 2023.

In this Jane Eyre reimagining, eighteen-year-old Jane Reye is a psychic artist and orphan. After aging out of the school she called home, Jane is invited to participate in a psychic study of the English manor house of Fairfax Hall. She soon meets the proprietor, Elias Thornfield, and her affection for him could be the key in a greater mystery surrounding Fairfax and its inhabitants.

Strange Unearthly Things releases on Aug. 22, 2023.

Lin Chong is an expert arms instructor, training the Emperor's army and keeping herself out of trouble. When a powerful man with a vendetta against her rips her life away, Lin is disgraced, tattooed as a criminal, and sent on the run. That is until she's recruited by the Bandits of Liangshan, whose motto is all about justice for women and the marginalized of society. Together, they could bring down the empire for good.

The Water Outlaws releases on Aug. 22, 2023.

Moonlight Bay was once a magical place. After a tragic death that rocks the community, the town seems devoid of life, and tourists stop coming. Yasmine has grown up in Moonlight Bay, but her parents are struggling. Rafay is an immigrant to the community from neighboring Willow Forest, and tensions between migrants and the townspeople grow stronger. Can they find a way to be together despite it all?

Forty Words for Love releases on Aug. 22, 2023.

Comedy historian Saul Austerlitz tells the story of how the film Anchorman was developed, including new interviews with star Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay, and how the success of Anchorman influenced a decade of comedy films.

Kind of a Big Deal releases on Aug. 22, 2023.

High school junior Isabel is having an existential crisis when she stumbles across an internet forum dedicated to people called supers, not in a comic book sense, but rather, people with one or two extraordinary abilities living regular lives. Isabel decides that as soon as she turns 18, she will travel the globe to find at least one of these "super" people and maybe restore her faith in humanity.

Actually Super releases on Aug. 22, 2023.

As a struggling writer, Jane is deeply unhappy, trapped in an underwhelming marriage and a Bay Area mortgage. She feels that only one person ever truly understood her: Thalia, her best friend at Oxford. But Thalia disappeared years ago — until Jane noticed her name on the bestseller list. This time, Jane won't let her get away so easily.

I'm Not Done with You Yet releases on Aug. 22, 2023.

Wil Greene's mom has been missing for over a year, and she's convinced the family of her best friend, Elwood Clarke, has something to do with it. Elwood's family pressures him to leave school and help his dad run their congregation, the Garden of Adam, a duty he is reluctant to take on. But when he discovers he's not his father's successor but his sacrifice, Wil and El must race against the clock to dig up more secrets than they bargained for.

Together We Rot releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

17-year-old Quell hides a deadly secret: she can do magic. To hide from an assassin hunting her, she reluctantly joins the Order, a society of magical elites. They'll bury her magical secret forever if she can pass their three membership rites. But becoming the perfect debutante is easier said than done, especially as she uncovers more about the Order's shadowy history.

House of Marionne releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

When Laure Mesny is overlooked by the Parisian ballet, she takes matters into her own hands by venturing down to the catacombs and striking a deal for primordial power. As she leaves behind broken bodies in her climb to success, Laure ends up with a target on her back. She's faced with a choice: embrace the darkness or continue to struggle.

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

This prequel to Six Crimson Cranes follows Channi, who is cursed with a monstrous face after failing to become a sacrifice to the Demon Witch. Channi's sister Vanna is blessed with beauty and intended to be married off to the highest bidder via a contest for her hand. When one suitor kicks off a battle royale for Vanna's hand, Channi must make unlikely alliances to defend her sister once and for all.

Her Radiant Curse releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

Cassie Greenberg is a struggling artist who stumbles across an ad for a beautiful room in an apartment in Chicago. Her new roommate, she discovers, is Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, who looks like he stepped right out of Regency romance novel. But Frederick has one big secret: he's definitely a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

My Roommate is A Vampire releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

Audrey Cameron gets dumped and waitlisted at her dream school, she doesn't know if she'll feel happy again. But when the mysterious Mr. Montgomery walks into her family's convenience store in Pittsburgh and says he can "help" her, she doesn't expect to be transported to the 1800s to be a Regency era heroine. Now, Audrey must find a way back to the present, and figure out her feelings for Lucy, the girl who takes her in.

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

Told in the alternating perspectives of Jane, a Vietnamese teen in 1999 struggling with her abusive dad, and Phúc, a child in Vietnam in 1975. Guided by moonlight, Phúc assembles a refugee boat to make a perilous journey across the Pacific Ocean in hopes of a better life. The dual perspective serves to tell a powerful story about war and intergenerational trauma.

My Father, the Panda Killer releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

This new YA anthology celebrating all things queer and spooky with fresh spins on horror tropes. Featuring stories from Alex Brown and Shelly Page, Kalynn Bayron, Ryan Douglass, Sara Farizan, Maya Gittelman, Kosoko Jackson, Em Liu, Vanessa Montalban, Ayida Shonibar, Tara Sim, Trang Thanh Tran, and Rebecca Kim Wells.

Night of the Living Queers releases on Aug. 29, 2023.

In this TikTok sensation, Assistant to the Villain follows Evie Sage, who receives an unexpected job offer from an infamous Villain — not that she's in a place to refuse. Things get more terrifying when she develops a teeny tiny crush on her diabolical employer. Now, Evie must balance her romantic feelings and figuring out who within their circle has betrayed him, or they'll all be out of a job for good.

Assistant To The Villain releases on Aug. 29, 2023.