Ten Books for August 2025

From the scores of books released in the U.S. this coming month, BFG has plucked a selection of 10 that pique our curiosity or the curiosity of others.

1. Katabasis by R. F. Kuang – Author of Yellowface and Babel, Kuang is a celebrated fantasy writer who also earned her PhD in East Asian Languages & Literature at Yale. This novel merges magical realism with a sharp critique of academia, inspired by her own doctoral experience. From Wikipedia.
2. Moderation by Elaine Castillo – Castillo previously gained attention with her debut America Is Not the Heart. She is known for her razor-sharp prose and cultural insight into digital life and identity. Recommended by Vulture.
3. Dominion by Addie E. Citchens – A debut author whose dramatic portrayal of patriarchy in a Mississippi church family marks her as a rising literary voice in Southern fiction. From Read With Allison.
4. The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar – Best known for the beloved children’s novel Holes (and Wayside School series), this is his first adult fantasy, inspired by The Princess Bride and laden with wit and worldbuilding. From People.
5. House of the Beast by Michelle Wong – Debut novelist and illustrator who formerly worked on The Legend of Korra graphic novels; this dark fantasy is paired with her own full-color illustrations. From Read With Allison.
6. Frankly by Nicola Sturgeon – Former First Minister of Scotland (2014–2023), she was awarded multiple honours but left office in disgrace after her husband was charged with hiding money he had embezzled from their Scottish Nationalist Party; her memoir offers political insight and personal resilience narratives.
7. A Dog in Georgia by Lauren Grodstein – Grodstein is a respected novelist (e.g. A Friend of the Family), known for emotionally complex characters exploring grief, redemption, and adoption. From That Happy Reader.
8. The Fourth Daughter by Lyn Liao Butler – Butler’s debut follows a Manhattan chef grappling with trauma; she holds a PhD in East Asian studies and often explores diasporic identity.  FROM READING (AS)(I)AN (AM)ERICA.
9. Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian – Her MFA-style campus novel about romance and power won early acclaim for its wit and sharp observations of academic culture. From Vulture.
10. Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino – Science writer and nonfiction author, known for rigorous, immersive prose combining forensic detail with human stories; this work is timed for Hiroshima’s 80th anniversary and the forthcoming major James Cameron movie.