11 Books Out This Week That You Should Read ASAP

With a fresh list on Tuesdays.

Hello, book lovers! Each week, dozens and dozens of new releases hit the shelves. Below are some of the reads BuzzFeed Books writers and contributors loved the most:

1. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Gallery / Saga Press

Rebecca Roanhorse sets Black Sun — the first book in a new trilogy — in a fantasy world inspired by the pre-Columbian Americas. Blinded as a child by his mother, Serapio’s destiny is to become the Crow God reborn and wreak vengeance on the Sun Priest and their followers, who have violently suppressed the holy city Tova’s indigenous religious traditions. Naranpa recently became Sun Priest, and she’s unprepared for the Order’s political machinations and backstabbing. Xiala, a captain charged with carrying Serapio to Tova, can calm the waters with her voice, an inheritance from her magical, ocean-dwelling Teek heritage, but her sailors fear her. This violent and epic clash between colonizers and indigenous peoples pushes against Eurocentric fantasy. It’s also a thrilling and intriguing read. —Margaret Kingsbury

2. Simmer Down by Sarah Smith

Berkley

Nikki DiMarco uproots her life and moves to Maui to help her mom run their food truck, Tiva’s Filipina Kusina. Everything's going great until British food truck owner Callum James parks too close for comfort and starts stealing their customers and drawing her into a public feud. Nikki's determined to get rid of him once and for all by beating him in the upcoming food festival. But as the date approaches, Nikki starts to see another side to him and soon, getting rid of him is the last thing she wants to do. —Shyla Watson

3. Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

Tordotcom

In Clark’s version of 1922 Georgia, the Ku Kluxes are Lovecraftian monsters from another dimension who wreak havoc while posing as Klan members. Maryse fights these monsters, armed with a magical sword that channels generations of vengeful anger, alongside shotgun-wielding Sadie and explosives master Chef. Then, a far more dangerous monster arrives — the Butcher, who can direct the Ku Kluxes’ mindless hunger. Using the film The Birth of a Nation as a spell, the Butcher plans to bring the most terrible monster of all into this dimension to consume everyone, and Maryse is the only one who can stop him. To do so, she must face her past tragedy and contend with her anger. This emotional and riveting novella is infused with Black folklore and rich friendships. —Margaret Kingsbury

4. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

Grove Press

Shuggie Bain came out in February, but it’s out in paperback today, and it’s recently been shortlisted for both the National Book Award and the Booker Prize. This vivid, sweeping novel tells the story of young Hugh “Shuggie” Bain and his upbringing in 1980s and early '90s Glasgow, a city struggling with the closure of its mines and the resulting widespread unemployment. He and his mother, Agnes, live in rundown public housing, which his half-brother and sister can’t flee fast enough. Agnes is living with alcoholism, and no one but Shuggie — who all but worships her — knows how to care for her. Theirs is a beautiful and tragic relationship: Shuggie isn’t like other boys; his neighbors, father, and teachers warn Agnes that he’s “not right.” He doesn’t understand what makes him different, or why such difference is bad, but Agnes sees, loves, and defends who he is: a child who doesn’t yet have the language or models to recognize his queerness. —Arianna Rebolini

5. The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk

Erewhon

This feminist fantasy takes place in a Regency-era fantasy world, where magical women are married off and collared so they can’t practice their magic. Beatrice Clayborn doesn’t want to marry; she wants to improve her magic and become a great sorceress. However, after a recent financial disaster, her family is relying on her to make a good match and save them from destitution. Scoping bookstores, Beatrice finds a grimoire that could be the key to advancing her magic, but the wealthy Ysbeta Lavan snags it first. After meeting Ysbeta’s brother Ianthe at a marriage ball, Beatrice finds herself feeling unwillingly attracted to her adversary’s brother. This novel is a fast-paced, delightful read full of plot twists, romantic angst, and social justice themes. —Margaret Kingsbury

6. The Truth Project by Dante Medema

Quill Tree Books

The Truth Project by Dante Medema is about Cordelia, who thinks the easiest way to breeze through her senior project is to pick the same topic her older sister picked before her: genealogy. But when Cordelia gets her GeneQuest kit back, there's a surprising result. As it turns out, the man who raised her and her biological father are two different people. Told through verse, text messages, and more, this book is one of the best YAs we've got this year and my friends and I cry about it a lot. —Rachel Strolle

7. Tiny Nightmares by Samantha Hunt, Jac Jemc, Stephen Graham Jones, and more.

Black Balloon Publishing

Tiny Nightmares is absolutely perfect if you have a hard time focusing on anything right now and if you love to be scared. The collection features over 40 original, very short horror stories from favorite writers like Samantha Hunt, Jac Jemc, Stephen Graham Jones, Lilliam Rivera, Rion Amilcar Scott, and Amber Sparks. They cover everything from classic ghost stories and modern tech horror, to dystopias and monsters, and serial killers. It’s bone-chilling, timely, thought-provoking, and a lot of fun. —Arianna Rebolini

8. Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald follows Emanuela, a socialite who lives in a world where the water is created by the Watercrea, who is able to create water from the blood of people who have these mysterious marks on their skin. If you get one of these marks, you have to turn yourself in, but when Emanuela gets one, she keeps that fact hidden. When the Watercrea discovers her, the two fight and the Watercrea is killed, so Emanuela goes on the run and has to find a new way to bring water to her town. —Rachel Strolle

9. This Is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi

Feiwel & Friends

Told in multiple POVs with big Empire Records vibes, three very different girls team up to save Wild Nights, their local indie bookstore. After Eli accidentally spends $9,000 of the store’s money on fake Air Jordans in a half-hearted attempt to try and raise money to save the shop, Rin, Daniella, and Imogen have 24 hours to try and fix his mistake, and save the store before it’s too late. —Farrah Penn

10. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Redhook

Witches learn their witch words from nursery rhymes and fairytales, but it’s the will they put behind those words that matter the most. However, women’s magic and women’s votes are both outlawed in this alternative version of 1893. The Eastwood sisters mean to change that. Pushed into New Salem by their father’s abuse, the three sisters live separate lives: studious Beatrice Belladonna works in a library, beautiful Agnes Amaranth works in a factory, and wild James Juniper joins a women’s suffrage group. When a cruel and misogynistic politician throws his hat in the ring to become mayor of New Salem, the sisters unite against him. They gather other women willing to fight for women’s rights by using the most potent weapon at their disposal — magic. This year marks the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, and reading this gorgeous novel is an excellent way to celebrate. It’s my favorite book of the year. —Margaret Kingsbury

11. Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe

Balzer + Bray

Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger is a popular, star debater at his notable academy in New York City, who dreams of attending Columbia University. He’s also charming as hell. When classmate Corinne Troy blackmails him into helping her change her image at school, their mutual hustle transforms into something neither of them expects. —Farrah Penn