It's hard to believe it is already August, the last month of winter upon us for another year. Can you smell spring in the air? Over the last week, we certainly have, slowly de-layering from our regular knit/coat/scarf combination. In August, we have many things to look forward to and for us, some of the best new books of 2022 have dropped or will be dropping in the coming weeks. We have an abundance to choose from, whether your a memoir person, a thriller enthusiast or prefer the pick up, put down nature of short stories. As we look ahead at the month, these are the best new books to read in August 2022.
Notes on Heartbreak - Annie Lord
Annie Lord manages to capture the essence of unexpected heartbreak eloquently in her memoir. When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the street after a normal dinner with her parents, she recounts her feelings, actions and journey that follow the event and how she navigates her life, post-Joe. What is heartening about the piece is Lord’s ability to wax lyrical about love, in the face of what would be considered one of life’s most despondent and heartbreaking moments. She captures the beauty and pain of love in a winding prose. One for fans of Dolly Alderton, Emma Jane Unsworth and Emma Gannon.
Cut - Susan White
In Cut, we find protagonist Carla working towards a surgical consultant promotion at Prince Charles Hospital in Melbourne, a notorious boys club rampant with sexism and misogyny. Along the way, Carla is confronted with the assault of a colleague and , eventually, is assaulted herself, both occurring at the hands of senior surgeons. Here, we see laid bare the vids club culture that permeates the medical industry, how women are often not listened to when speaking up about assault and how necessary a cultural shift is in the bounds of the medical industry. One for fans of Diana Reid’s Love and Virtue and Yumiko Kadota’s Emotional Female.
Electric and Mad and Brave - Tom Pitts
In this raw, contemplative text, protagonist Matt Lacey is in a mental health facility in recovery from a breakdown. While attempting to work through his thoughts and feelings, we are taken back to his adolescence and bond with friend, Christina. Here, we learn of formative moments in Matt’s life and how they may have impacted him today. It reaches joyful heights and sorrowful lows, taking the reader on an immersive journey.
Ghost Lover - Lisa Taddeo
If you’re a Lisa Taddeo fan, you’re in luck, because Lisa Taddeo has never written a book that is more Lisa Taddeo-ed than Ghost Lover. A series of short stories, the common themes you will find are sex, loss, marriage, empowerment and privilege. Consider the stories as distinct from Three Women, but similar in prose and themes. One for fans of – wait for it – Lisa Taddeo.
The Couple Upstairs - Holly Wainwright
Set along a beach in Sydney – there’s not mention of the name, however – we find our protagonist Mel living in an apartment complex and confronted with whom she believes is the ghost of an ex-lover. As The Couple Upstairs continues, we learn more about Mel's past and the present day reality of her upstairs neighbours girlfriend. A thriller like no other, the twists and turns of this one kept us turning the pages in an attempt to uncover where the undulating plot was taking us.
Ruth and Penn - Emilie Pine
The story is set over a single day in Dublin, Ruth coming to terms with a potential divorce from her husband and Pen grappling with her affection for best friend, Alice. Ruth and husband Aiden deal with infertility struggles, and Pen decides today is the day to speak her truth to Alice. It is a poignant and involving piece of work, and one for fans of Naoirse Dolan, Louise Nealon and Megan Nolan.
