It’s June, folks. Here are the best books to check out this month.
Welcome to The Best of Book Riot, our daily round-up of what’s on offer across our site, newsletters, podcasts, and social channels. Not everything is for everyone, but there is something for everyone.
The Best Books to Read in June
And let me just say that we have all the summer reading recs. In addition to our list of the Best Beach Reads of All Time, there is this list, a compilation of the most noteworthy books coming out in June, according to our writers. It has literary fiction set in Iran, a graphic memoir by a queer icon, a “toxic lesbian vampire” novel by a fantasy giant, and more.
More Than 50% of Americans Have Listened to An Audiobook: Latest Data on Audiobook Trends
APA’s Consumer Survey found that more than half of Americans age 18 and older–51%– have listened to an audiobook. There’s also been an increase in the number of Americans who state they’re interested in trying out an audiobook, 38% in 2025 as compared to 32% the previous year. Americans indicating they’re “very interested” in trying an audiobook has gone from 10% in 2024 to 18% in 2025.
I Have an Audiobook Confession To Make
And I took to TikTok to make it. And judging from the responses both there and on Instagram. I am NOT ALONE.
The Best Book Club Books of May
With May having just ended, we can now look back at all the bookish things the month brought. There were lists upon lists of excellent summer reading—from The New York Times’ fiction and nonfiction lists to a general list by The LA Times’. Esquire got a bit of a jump on us with their list of the best books of the year so far, an we even released our list of the Best Beach Reads of All Time, just ahead of the sunny season.
A Most Cozy and Magical Beach Read
I got to write about a few of my favorite beach reads for our recent list of Best Beach Reads of All Time, but one very brief blurb isn’t enough for me! That’s why I’m taking some time here to talk about these favorites and try to convince you to put them on your summer reading list if you haven’t already picked them up. I decided to start with today’s cozy, magical pick because the author has a new book out in July that sounds just as delightful, so if you love this fantasy romance, you can move right on to the next.
12 of the Best New LGBTQIA+ Books Out in June 2025
There are so many excellent queer books out this Pride Month that it felt impossible to narrow it down to just ten, so I cheated a little. Below, you’ll find 12 books in a range of genres, formats, age categories, and queer rep. There’s sapphic speculative romance, intersex nonfiction, gay graphic novels, queer alternate history, and so much more.
Kiss and (Re)tell: 7 of the Best New Romance Retellings
Romance and retellings go together, and it’s easy to see why. Romance is essentially telling the same story over and over: people fall in love, there are some obstacles, but ultimately love wins the day. Predictability is the point. Although the familiar story structure provides some guardrails for the narrative, every car on the road is different. Retelling a familiar story allows authors and readers to explore a relationship from a fresh perspective, to see how time and place inform a story, and to keep stories alive across generations.
7 Page-to-Screen Adaptations to Look Forward to This June
2025’s page-to-screen adaptations are heating up this summer. We have quite an exciting roster of upcoming movies and TV shows to look forward to in June. Whether you’re ready to head out to the cinema or cozy up on the couch at home, as a book lover, you’re going to have a lot to watch this month.
DEI Books Restored to the Naval Academy Library, and More News for Librarians
I’m rounding up a bunch of news updates that library staff will want to keep on their collective radar. There’s the usual batch of censorship updates (some good! some not so good!), but there’s also a bunch of award news and some fun adaptation announcements.
Have a Fantastical Summer: 10 Terrific New SFF Books for June 2025
Hello, SFF fans! June is upon us, which means it’s time for a new round of excellent science fiction and fantasy books. It’s finally warm enough here in Maine that we don’t need to sleep inside a Tauntaun, and I can open the windows while I read as many SFF books as I can. It’s a great time! To help you also kick off your summer reading, I picked 10 terrific SFF reads out in June for you to add to your TBR.
Win Yourself a Little Book Shopping Spree
We have a $200 gift card to Books-A-Million running at the moment, so jump over hereto enter for a chance to win. It is prime book buying season around these parts, and I bet it is too wherever you are.
