40+ Books by BIPOC Authors Coming Out in July

I think that July means the official start of the summer reading season. And even though I already have a few summer favs there are tons of new books coming out in July. This month I’m loving reading on my patio as I watch all my veggies grow a little more each day, I’m also obsessed with ice coffees and of course I’ve been adding a little more poetry to my reading. But back to this month’s books…

From psychological thrillers and horrors to cute summer romances and family sagas, there are so many books by BIPOC authors coming out in July that you should add to your list. 

Here are the eight books at the top of my list…

Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles – July 2nd

Set in a foreboding Gothic mansion and infused with heightened paranoia and creeping horror,  Midnight Rooms is a sweeping saga with supernatural undertones set in Victorian England. Vibrating with tension, richly atmospheric—haunted by ghosts, guilt, and familial bonds—it is an electrifying story that will linger in your dreams.

Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow by Damilare Kuku – July 30th 

A “wise, funny, irresistible” debut novel about family secrets, judgmental aunties, and Brazilian butt lifts, from the author of the internationally bestselling story collection Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad. In Nigerian families, none of your business is private. Not even if it’s about your bumbum. Kuku brings her signature humor, boldness, and compassion to each member of this loveable but exasperating family, whose lives reveal how a woman’s physical appearance can dictate her life and relationships and show just how sharp the double-edged sword of beauty can be.

The Bookshop Sisterhood A Novel by Michelle Lindo-Rice – July 30th 

I received an ARC of this book and I’m so happy that it is finally hitting shelves. Four friends are opening a bookstore together, but before the store opens they all face a few setbacks in their lives that have them leaning on each other and the plans they made. A great book about the power of friendships.

Grown Women by Sarai Johnson – July 9th  

In this beautiful debut novel, we meet four generations of Black women pushing forward in love despite the trauma that lives in their past as they struggle to define what happiness looks like. It is an accurate portrayal of present-day circumstances and some of the setbacks Black women face. 

Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi – July 30th 

This book is the type of summer messiness I love to read. In this swoon-worthy story of love and friendship in the age of social media—where what you see might not be all you get. Can’t wait to read this one. 

The White Guy Dies First by Various Authors – July 16 

I’ve been waiting so long for this collection and I just adore the premise. From killer clowns, a hungry hedge maze, and rich kids who got bored. Friendly cannibals, impossible slashers, and the dead who don’t stay dead… This collection includes thirteen scary stories by all-star contributors and this time, the white guy dies first.

My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes – July 30 

Three generations of fiercely strong and stubborn Mexican American women face grief head-on as they attempt to shed generational trauma and discover the true meaning of home in this lyrical novel that features magical realism in the tradition of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina and The House of the Spirits.

The Design of Us by Sajni Patel – July 16 

This book is giving big ‘Summer Reads’ vibes and I can’t wait to read it. One impulsive lie leads to a weeklong adventure of fake dating for two bickering coworkers in this swoony destination wedding rom-com.

Here are additional diverse books coming out this month that you should add to your list:

• Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles
• False Idols: A Reluctant King Novel by K’wan
• Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi
• Grown Women by Sarai Johnson
• Stars in My Crown by Antonio Michael Downing
• The Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali
• The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kọláwọlé
• The Second Chance of Darius Logan by David F. Walker
• The Boy to Beat the Gods by Ashley Thorpe
• We Don’t Have Time for This by Brianna Craft
• Black Pill by Elle Reeve
• It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant
• My Parents’ Marriage, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
• Sounds Like a Plan A Novel by Pamela Samuels Young; Dwayne Alexander Smith
• We Carry the Sea in Our Hands A Novel by Janie Kim
• The Design of Us by Sajni Patel
• The White Guy Dies First by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald
• Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow by Damilare Kuku 
• Catalina A Novel by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
• In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran
• Jewel Me Twice by Charish Reid
• Solomon Dark by Erick S. Gray
• RAPilates: Body and Mind Conditioning in the Digital Age by Chuck D
• This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour 
• Wifey’s Next Sticky Situation by Kiki Swinson
• First Comes Marriage by Laila Rafi
• & Then They Wed Ampersand Love 2 by Riya Iyer
• Between Friends & Lovers A Novel by Shirlene Obuobi
• My Mother Cursed My Name A Novel by Anamely Salgado Reyes
• Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu
• Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples by Mavis Staples and Carole Boston Weatherford 
• The Bookshop Sisterhood A Novel by Michelle Lindo-Rice
• Grant Me Vision: A Journey of Family, Faith, and Forgiveness by Sabrina Greenlee
• Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist by Jasmin Graham
• Beyond Policing by Phillip V. McHarris
• The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington
• Not About a Boy by Myah Hollis 
• A Whisper of Curses by J. Elle 
• Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
• Blood Jade by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle
• It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell
• The Creepening of Dogwood House by Eden Royce
• Gamerville by Johnnie Christmas
• The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown by Andrew Yang

Which ones are you adding to your list this month? Let me know in the comments.