5 books not to miss: New 'Twilight' book 'Midnight Sun,' Raven Leilani’s ‘Luster'
In search of something good to read? USA TODAY's Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.
1. “Midnight Sun,” by Stephenie Meyer (Hachette, fiction, on sale Aug. 4)
What it’s about: Teased for over a decade, the long-anticipated retelling of the original “Twilight” love story from vampire Edward Cullen’s perspective finally hits shelves.
The buzz: “It’s definitely darker, and I would say more desperate,” Meyer said of the new book in an interview with USA TODAY.
2. “Luster,” by Raven Leilani (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, fiction, on sale Aug. 4)
What it’s about: A young Black woman trying to make her way as an artist becomes infatuated with an older, white married man in an open marriage and becomes messily entangled in his family life.
The buzz: A ★★★? (out of four) review for USA TODAY calls Leilani “a major new talent.”
3. "Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots," by Morgan Jerkins (Harper, nonfiction, on sale Aug. 4)
What it’s about: In this personal exploration of the Great Migration, in which 6 million Black Americans left their homes in the South between 1916 and 1970 for jobs elsewhere, Jerkins recreates her ancestors’ journeys across the country.
The buzz: “Jerkins speaks truth to power,” says a ★★★? (out of four) review for USA TODAY.
4. “The Death of Vivek Oji,” by Akwaeke Emezi (Riverhead, fiction, on sale Aug. 4)
What it’s about: The heart-wrenching story of a Nigerian family’s struggle to understand a gender-nonconforming child after their violent death.
The buzz: “Vividly written and deeply affecting,” says a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.
'Wandering in Strange Lands': Morgan Jerkins reclaims family roots in powerful pilgrimage
5. “The Eighth Detective,” by Alex Pavesi (Henry Holt & Co., fiction, on sale Aug. 4)
What it’s about: Book editor Julia Hart visits a reclusive mystery author to help prepare a story collection for reissue. But in the pages of those stories, Julia finds a mystery of her own to solve.
The buzz: Publishers Weekly calls it a “cerebral debut” and says “Pavesi is a writer to watch.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 5 books not to miss: New 'Twilight' novel 'Midnight Sun,' 'Luster'