Books coming out this week: Tin Man, The Ensemble, and more

Remember summer reading? As a kid, the idea of HAVING to read a book for school during summer break was, somehow, the end of the world. Now, we WISH we had reading homework. If you’re in the market for some summer reading, the books coming out this week are a great place to start. It’s a particularly great week for strong LGBTQ characters too.

If you’re reading along with the HG Book Club (we’re reading My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan!), you should be about halfway through by now. But honestly, if you’re even able to find moments to put the book down, congratulations. Because it’s that addicting. Follow along with us, join the book club discussion on Instagram, and show us where you’re reading with #HGBookClub.

Now, without further ado, here are 11 books coming out this week that you don’t want to miss.

1Tin Man by Sarah Winman, out May 15th

Tin Man is a love story that will break your heart. Ellis and Michael have been inseparable since they were 12 years old. As they grow in age, they grow in closeness, questioning and blurring the lines between love and friendship. But then, fast forwarding into the future, Ellis is married to Annie and Michael is gone. And it’s time to find out what happened in between. You’ll devour all 213 pages of Tin Man in one sitting, then wish for 213 more.

2The Ensemble by Aja Gabel, out May 15th

Brit, Henry, Daniel, and Jana are the Van Ness String Quartet. And The Ensemble follows their successes, failures, heartbreaks, loves, losses, and lives in general — and how through it all, every time, they keep choosing the group. Aja Gabel’s writing mimics the music on the page in this truly beautiful debut.

3Robin by Dave Itzkoff, out May 15th

On August 11th, 2014, the world lost a legend. And with Robin, Dave Itzkoff seeks to uncover the Robin Williams we didn’t know. The lengthy biography covers everything from his comedy and characters to his struggles with addiction and mental health. Here’s your chance to get to know the real Robin. It’ll make you miss him all over again.

4The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll, out May 15th

The moment we finished reading Luckiest Girl Alive, we were ready for more from Jessica Knoll. So thank goodness that The Favorite Sister is FINALLY here. It’s about five successful women on a reality TV show called Goal Diggers. Spoiler: The season ends in murder.

5Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake, out May 15th

When Mara’s twin brother Owen is accused of rape, she doesn’t know what to think. She wants to believe both her friend and her brother. Girl Made of Stars tactfully — and realistically — touches on sexual assault, consent, victim blaming, and the unspoken traumas too many young people face. This timely novel, told from a YA perspective, is a heart-wrenching and important summer read.

6I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown, out May 15th

Austin Channing Brown grew up in primarily white spaces in a world designed for white people. I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness tells her story of learning to “love blackness.” It’s an important reminder that if you’re white, it’s imperative to confront your privilege and question your biases. Because even if you don’t think you have them, you do.

7Do This for Me by Eliza Kennedy, out May 15th

Everything in Raney Moore’s life is perfect — until she finds out her husband cheated on her. And boy, does she take him DOWN. (Did we mention she’s a lawyer? Revenge is wild when money is no object.) When the dust settles, she and her husband try to make it work. And somehow, things only heat up from there. Do This for Me is the juicy summer read you need in your beach bag.

8How to Walk Away by Katherine Center, out May 15th

Everything is going pretty well for Margaret. She landed her dream job and has a great boyfriend who is about to propose. But then, her life changes in an instant. Margaret wakes up in the hospital facing a life-changing injury and the reality that things will never be the same. How to Walk Away is a reminder that even during tough times, it’s still important to have hope. Even if you see the end coming, you’re going to love the journey there.

9How I Resist: Activism and Hope for the Next Generation edited by Maureen Johnson, out May 15th

If there’s anything we’ve learned in 2018, it’s that young people are deeply passionate about issues that affect the future of our country. And in How I Resist, they share the ways they hope, dream, fight back, and, well, resist. The collection of essays, songs, poems, and more will inspire people of every age to keep standing up for what’s right.

10My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma, out May 15th

When Winnie comes home from her summer away at film camp, she’s crushed to learn that her boyfriend Raj cheated on her. This is NOT her perfect Bollywood movie ending, and it doesn’t fit with the pandit’s prophecy. So in order to find that perfect happy ending, she enlists the help of Dev, a charming guy with one flaw: He doesn’t fit within the prophecy either. Between the Bollywood references and the Shash Rukh Khan dream sequences, you’ll fall in love with Winnie while she tries to find it.

11Love & Other Carnivorous Plants by Florence Gonsalves, out May 15th

The cover of Love & Other Carnivorous Plants might lead you to believe that it’s a light, fluffy YA read. But make no mistake: It’s deep. It follows Danny, an overstressed Harvard student hospitalized for her eating disorder. The story begins the summer after her freshman year with a distant best friend, a crush on an older girl, and a quest to find out who she really is.

Happy reading!