Ep. 197: Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)

Welcome to the Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!  

Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing from June through mid-August.  

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).

CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Announcement

• One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (both for just $7/mo) is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available and sign up here for Patreon and here for Substack!

Highlights

• Catherine and Sarah share some big releases coming this summer (lightning-round style).
• Of Catherine’s six book picks, 3 are about sisters and most are from repeat authors.
• Sarah’s choices feature 3 debut authors, 2 repeat authors, and 1 new author.
• And, 5 of Sarah’s six books are European novels.
• From literary picks to thrillers to romances, they’ve got a range of books for summer.
• Sarah has already read two of her picks — and they’re on the 2025 Summer Reading Guide (be sure to check out the full list)
• Plus, their #1 picks for summer.

Big Summer Releases

• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:12]
• With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:18]
• Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:32]
• The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick (June 17) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:36]
• A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:45]
• The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (July 15) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [2:57]
• The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:08]
• Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:13]
• A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:17] 
• Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:27] 
• The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:29] 
• Don’t Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine (June 17) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:32] 
• The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen (August 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:36] 

Summer 2025 Book Preview [4:07]

June

Sarah’s Pick

• The Compound by Aisling Rawle (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:19]

Catherine’s Picks

• The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:40]
• King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:02]
• I’ll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:01]

Other Books Mentioned 

• Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) [10:01] 
• FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven (2016) [10:04] 
• The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969) [20:29] 
• All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby  (2023) [20:55] 
• Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (2021) [21:00] 
• Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby (2020) [21:01] 
• White Houses by Amy Bloom (2018) [27:08] 
• This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel (2017) [27:52] 
• The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (2019) [27:57] 
• The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (2024) [28:28] 

July

Sarah’s Picks

• Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[15:36]
• Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [21:44]
• The Rabbit Club by Christopher J. Yates (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:48]
• Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke (July 15*) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:38](Updated release date following the recording of this episode.)
• August Lane by Regina Black (July 29) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:44]

Catherine’s Picks

• The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang (July 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:37] 
• Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[39:32]

Other Books Mentioned

• Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (2023) [18:12] 
• Writers and Lovers by Lily King (2020) [18:17] 
• The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue (2023) [25:06] 
• Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler (2023) [25:09] 
• Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates (2013) [28:57] 
• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (2013) [31:13] 
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992) [31:15] 
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) [31:16] 
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865) [] 
• If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) [32:37] 
• Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang (2021) [35:16] 
• Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (2023) [35:40] 
• Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (2023) [35:42] 
• The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz (2022) [35:45] 
• Girl A by Abigail Dean (2021) [38:21] 
• The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) [38:24] 
• Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka (2022) [38:28] 
• The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon (2023) [40:16] 
• The Art of Scandal by Regina Black (2023) [41:58] 
• Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zentner (2024) [43:30] 
• Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (2021) [43:41] 
• The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (2021) [43:46] 
• Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2019) [45:01] 

August

Catherine’s Pick

• The Frequency of Living Things by Nick Fuller Googins (August 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:15]

Other Books Mentioned

• She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb (1992) [48:08] 

Other Links

• Sarah’s Bookshelves | The Possibility of a Black Chalk Sequel: Guest Post by Christopher J. Yates