
Welcome back!
It’s August! Some of us have a lot on our lists this month (hi yes, it’s me), while others only have one or two.
What new releases are you excited for? Let us know in the comments!
Adversary to the Villain

Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Released: August 4, 2026 by Entangled: Red Tower Books
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Assistant to the Villain #4
HR Update: The position of “adversary to the villain” has been filled. Evie Sage does not recall applying.
Evie has always tried to be helpful, loyal, and only mildly involved in treason. But with a dangerous prophecy threatening the very magic of Rennedawn—not to mention the race to claim its necessary artifacts before King Benedict does—things are starting to feel…less like a career path and more like a serious problem.
The prophecy won’t stop pointing in Evie’s direction. The Villain’s magic keeps choosing her. And honestly, if you’re going to be accused of evil anyway, you might as well commit.
Unfortunately, the more Evie leans into her alleged villain era, the more her boss starts acting like the hero of a completely different story. Trystan is getting closer—closer than is wise, advisable, or even remotely professional—and looking at her like she’s already chosen a side. His.
Which is deeply inconvenient, because if Evie can’t save the kingdom’s magic, she might just become its greatest threat.
The hilarious fantasy romance series doesn’t end at Adversary to the Villain! The thrilling conclusion to the series is coming soon!
I know many members of the Bitchery have been keeping up with the series!
Levels of Love

Author: Annabelle Stehl
Released: August 4, 2026 by LYX
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Romance
Series: Novel Haven #1
A rivals-to-lovers forced proximity romance set in the competitive gaming world.
Bonus: Novel Haven, the cozy game at the heart of the story, is real. Play it for free on Steam today.
Lara vs. Luca.
Introverted vs Charismatic.
Cozy gamer vs. horror gamer.
Lara is a shy programmer in London pouring her whole heart into Novel Haven, a gentle pixel-art game about books, healing, and community. Luca is the confident developer behind Desolate Dread, a psychological horror game that mines his own nightmares for inspiration. They couldn’t be more different, yet both are fighting for the same prize at the prestigious GameChanger Convention: recognition, visibility, and desperately needed prize money that could decide the future of their studios.
Thrown together at a glamorous country estate for the convention weekend, they keep colliding in hallways, backstage spaces, and after-hours events–where sharp banter slowly gives way to late-night honesty, shared vulnerabilities, and a connection neither of them saw coming. Behind the facade of competition, they’re both secretly longing for someone who understands them off-screen. They could be perfect for each other, but with industry politics, viral scandals, and a single winner-takes-all award on the line, trusting the enemy might be the biggest risk of all.
Amanda: The marketing for this one has been so cool! Sticker sheets! A cute video game!
Lost and Found

Author: Tarah DeWitt
Released: August 4, 2026 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: Spunes, OR #3
A stunning novel of romance and redemption set in the Spunes, OR world, filled with heartbreak and hope from “master of emotion” (Rachel Lynn Solomon) USA Today bestselling author Tarah DeWitt.
Bea always wanted to be a mom. But she never expected she’d have to lose her best friend to do it. Armed with nothing but her best friend’s eggs and a bucket list to complete, Bea’s world is a sea of changes.
When she needs a place to stay, her longtime friend Silas steps in to help. A firefighter grappling with the aftermath of an accident, Silas has his own challenges to work through that have left him cautious and vulnerable.
At first, they expect nothing. But as these two former sunshines knit together in a love that has been unfulfilled until now, a new beginning comes out of the ashes of the past—one that will lead to a love that can withstand all the slings and arrows, joys and triumphs, that life can throw.
DeWitt’s contemporary romances come highly recommended.
The Lunatics

Author: Navessa Allen
Released: February 3, 2026 by Forever
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Series: Lunatics #1
Layla Fitzpatrick lives a simple life, for a werewolf. And that’s just how she likes it. Her childhood was less than ideal. She’d like to spend her adult years flying under the radar of more powerful preternatural creatures. Because she knows from experience what happens when they notice you. Everything changes one early summer night when she attends a ritual bonding ceremony meant to join two werewolves together for life. Midway through, the spell becomes corrupted and she finds herself unexpectedly mated to the stuffiest shifter she’s ever laid eyes on.
Michael Kolbeck is more man than wolf. He spends his days in a skyscraper, building his family’s empire. At night, he prowls the streets of Boston, a city where shifters, witches, and vampires walk a delicate tightrope of ceasefire masquerading as peace. Little do they know that Layla’s arrival will act as the spark that ignites the fire, and that thin veneer of peace is about to vanish.
Amanda: Technically this had a digital release in February and is getting a paperback release today (and yes, it’s been super annoying with these staggered releases and what does or doesn’t constitute “new”). However, I’ve enjoyed Allen’s book and I’m curious about this shifter romance.
(Mostly) Human Resources

Author: Grace Viall
Released: August 4, 2026 by Alcove Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Horror, Paranormal, Romance
Series: Entity Case Files #1
A debut slow-burn work-nemesis romance set in a world where cryptids and monsters are a part of life . . . and someone has to do the paperwork.
Working in human resources was not what Alexys had in mind when she joined Entity, the private company that categorizes and manages the world’s cryptids. But after her dad was killed on the job as a Warden in the Appalachian Mountains, she was filled with noble ideas of carrying on his legacy . . . from the safety of a desk. Alexys dreams of climbing the corporate ladder while managing the Appalachian Wardens and sparring with Nic, the frustrating (and annoyingly attractive) Director of Research and Cataloging.
When one of Alexys’s new Wardens goes missing after inquiring about a mysterious and highly dangerous monster, her chances of promotion disappear along with him. Determined to save her career—and to shield the Warden’s family from the trauma she experienced after losing her father on the job—she marches off into the monster-infested wilderness to find him herself.
Meanwhile, Nic, with ambitions of becoming the youngest Entity employee to discover a new monster, follows Alexys on her hunt. But the work nemeses are about to discover why the Appalachian Mountains are the last place you want to find yourself after dark. Among mountains older than bones, the jackalopes and ghouls are the least of their worries . . .
Amanda: This gives me so many X-Files vibes!



