10 books you should read in June, including Questlove’s hip-hop memoir, a reality TV history by a Pulitzer Prize winner, and a new romance from Brynne Weaver

Beach weather is just around the corner, so here are a few books to take with you while you're soaking up the sun

By Cindy White | June 3, 2024 | 6:25pm

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10 books you should read in June, including Questlove’s hip-hop memoir, a reality TV history by a Pulitzer Prize winner, and a new romance from Brynne Weaver

Clockwise from top left: Hip-Hop Is History (AUWA), Cue The Sun! (Random House), Middle Of The Night (Dutton), Horror Move: A Novel (William Morrow), Leather & Lark (Zando), Margo’s Got Money Troubles (William Morrow) Graphic: The A.V. Club

Regular A.V. Club readers may have noticed that our book coverage has dropped off significantly in the last few years. There were reasons for that, but those reasons no longer have a say in what we write about, so we’re cautiously venturing back into the realm of books because hey, why not? We figured bringing back our monthly preview of new releases, which we stopped doing regularly in 2022, would be a good place to start.

With all that out of the way, let’s take a look at some new books coming out this June. We’ve selected a wide range of titles that should appeal to readers of every sort. You’ll find nonfiction, literary fiction, humor, horror, science-fiction, and romance here. Whether you’re looking for something to take with you on vacation or you want a page-turner to relax with at home, we’ve got you covered, from cover to cover.

The Future Was Color by Patrick Nathan

Release date: June 4, 2024Publisher: CounterpointWhy not kick off Pride month with a book with a protagonist who reclaims his identity as a queer Jewish immigrant in 1950s Hollywood? As a Hungarian immigrant working as a studio hack writing monster movies in 1950s Hollywood, George Curtis (born György) must navigate the McCarthy-era studio system filled with possible communists and spies, the life of closeted men along Sunset Boulevard, and the inability of the era to cleave love from persecution and guilt. But when a famous actress offers George a writing residency at her estate in Malibu to work on the political writing he cares most deeply about, his world is blown open. Soon she’s carrying George like an ornament into a class of postwar L.A. society ordinarily hidden from men like him. If you enjoyed the Showtime series Fellow Travelers and are looking for more queer stories that blend the personal with the political, The Future Was Color should fit the bill nicely.

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