The Best New Books Out The Week Of July 27

Books Including a new quarantine-inspired collection from Zadie Smith. by K.W. Colyard July 27, 2020

Aimee Bender, Zadie Smith, Laura van den Berg, and two lauded, international debut writers light up the week. We only include products that have been independently selected by Bustle's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

'The Butterfly Lampshade' by Aimee Bender Amazon This long-awaited follow-up to The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake centers on Francie, a 28-year-old woman determined to recall the events that led up to her mother's psychotic break, 20 years earlier. $26.95 See On Amazon

'It Is Wood, It Is Stone' by Gabriella Burnham Amazon Set in São Paulo, this stunning debut centers on two women — one an American dealing with her recent transplanting to Brazil, the other a Brazilian maid reckoning with cultural views on race — who find themselves thrust together when one leaves her husband in search of something more. $26 See On Amazon

'Empire of Wild' by Cherie Dimaline Underground Books Celebrated First Nations author Cherie Dimaline makes her U.S. debut this week with Empire of Wild , in which a woman searching for her missing husband finds a man who looks just like him, working as a traveling, revivalist preacher. $26.95 See On Underground Books

'Kings County' by David Goodwillie Amazon David Goodwillie's first new novel in 10 years is Kings County . This is a story of New York City in the early aughts, told through the eyes of Audrey and Theo: two idealistic transplants hoping to hit the big time in the Big Apple. $28 See On Amazon

'The Girl in the White Van' by April Henry Amazon With authorities assuming they've run away from home, Savannah and Jenny have only their own wits to rely on. Kidnapped by the same man, the two teens must work together in order to survive in this new thriller from the author of The Girl I Used to Be . $17.99 See On Amazon

'Must I Go' by Yiyun Li Amazon When her ex-lover's diary of their affair is published, the 81-year-old protagonist of Yiyun Li's latest novel must confront her own memories of their time together, which differ greatly from the account she finds on the page. $27.49 See On Amazon

'The Truth Hurts' by Rebecca Reid Amazon Drew has secrets he wants to keep, and plenty of people would be willing to let him, in exchange for his extravagant wealth. His new bride Poppy isn't one of those people, however. She'll let Drew keep his secrets, but only because she has a few of her own. $16.99 See On Amazon

'Intimations' by Zadie Smith Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery White Teeth author Zadie Smith returns this week with a slim, new volume of essays. Intimations contains Smith's reflections on the year so far, and those keen observations from quarantine make this the perfect book to kickstart the second half of your reading year. $10.95 See On Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery

'Memorial Drive' by Natasha Trethewey Brain Lair Books In 1985, when Natasha Trethewey was 19, her ex-stepfather murdered her mother in her home. Exploring the deep and tragic loss, as well as its impact on the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's work, Memorial Drive is one of the year's biggest must-reads. $27.99 See On Brain Lair Books

'I Hold a Wolf by the Ears' by Laura van den Berg Amazon Laura van den Berg's first short-fiction collection in seven years, I Hold a Wolf by the Ears contains 11 unsettling tales of surreality, set in cities around the globe. With an eye toward our most intimate relationships, this collection will resonate with readers of all stripes. $26 See On Amazon

'Bottled Goods' by Sophie van Llewyn Amazon Nominated for the Orange Prize, Sophie van Llewyn's Bottled Goods lands on U.S. shelves this week. Set in Romania in the 1970s, this novel-in-microstories follows a couple who wind up on a government watchlist after one's sibling defects to a capitalist nation. $12.16 See On Amazon

The Best New Books Out The Week Of July 27

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