Hello, fellow bookstore dwellers, it is a new month, which means a whole new selection of books! Is your TBR list dropping below 250? Is your bookshelf jam-packed but light enough to add 15 new novels?
Well, here I am to help guide your hand and wallet. This list features a selection of books spanning genres and themes for all to enjoy. Additionally, as it is Pride Month, there are quite a few books that tap into the wide tapestry of the vibrant queer literary community.
Without further ado, here are the most anticipated novels of June 2026.
Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez
A vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working-class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress, and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process. –Penguin Random House
Sometimes you read a synopsis that is so riveting you just need to sit for a minute to process it. Cynthia Gomez is ready to hit us with a story that is heavy but oh-so-alluring horror about sapphic witches, hauntings, and love. What more can you ask for from gothic horror?
Published by: Penguin Random House Canada
Imprint Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication date: June 2, 2026
Puck by Samantha Allen
In this A Midsummer Night’s Dream-inspired romcom, Puck is a reality show producer and agent of chaos with a talent for bringing people together…and tearing them apart. –Penguin Random House
Patricia Wants To Cuddle is one of the best debuts in recent years, so imagine our excitement upon learning of Samantha Allen’s latest. Puck takes to another reality-show setting, this time with a Shakespearean twist. Chaos is always a fun ingredient in a rom-com, and Allen promises a deliciously charming one.
Published by: Penguin Random House Canada
Imprint Publisher: Zando
Publication date: June 2, 2026
Homosexual Intifada: A Queer Palestinian Anthology, Edited by George Abraham and Hannah Moushabeck
A groundbreaking anthology amplifying queer Palestinian voices through art and storytelling that reclaim identity, resist erasure, and challenge stereotypes. –Interlink Books
So much has been said about Palestinians, especially about their experiences with simply existing. This anthology is a glimpse into the lives and stories that get wrapped up in the broad generalizations of what it is to be Palestinian.
Published by: Interlink Publishing
Imprint Publisher: Olive Branch Press
Publication date: June 2, 2026
For the Bride by Becca Grischow
From the author of I’ll Get Back To You, a “sparkling sapphic romance” (Bridget Morrissey) about two nemeses who must put aside their animosity to plan the wedding of the summer. –Penguin Random House
Remember Bride Wars? Did you think it would have been more interesting if Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson’s characters fell into a relationship? Well, Becca Grischow taps into that vibe with a story about two bridesmaids with different personalities clashing, fighting and falling in love. Three cheers for a sapphic enemies-to-lovers rom-com.
Published by: Penguin Random House Canada
Publication date: June 2, 2026
Missing in Soho by Holly Stars
A missing photographer. A megalomaniacal millionaire. A drag queen hellbent on saving her club. The latest glittering mystery from the author of Murder in the Dressing Room… –Penguin Random House
Starting off this list with a fun whodunit, our star detective is a drag queen in all her investigative glory. Misty Divine is back to show us how to be fabulous while solving a mystery. The cozy detective series is another fun take on a genre that is ever-evolving and expanding the roster of detectives who are iconic in their own ways. Misty Divine is one to follow!
Published by: Penguin Random House Canada
Imprint Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: June 2, 2026
The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
From the award-winning New York Times and Indie bestselling author of Ace of Spades comes a mystery about five teen geniuses, their billionaire father, and the aftermath of his murder—perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games, Umbrella Academy, and Knives Out!
Five prodigies, one dead father, a mansion full of suspects… –MacMillan
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is at it again, the author of Aces of Spades and Where Sleeping Girls Lie brings us a tale of great intrigue, thrills and secrets. Five prodigies adopted by a man with impossible standards are put to the test when he is murdered, and the five kids each have something to hide. A murder mystery is always fun, but one amped up by family drama and characters who aren’t entirely ordinary offers a thrill that Àbíké-Íyímídé has mastered.
Published by: Macmillan
Imprint Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: June 2, 2026
This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint
The epic, captivating tale of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who must reconcile her mind and heart when she is drawn against all odds to Ares, the god of war, from the internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Hera. –Penguin Random House
Greek mythology has been experiencing a bit of a resurgence, with the likes of Blood of Zeus and Percy Jackson enticing TV audiences and many literary adaptations finding new and creative ways to explore the myths. This month is perfect for Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, to take centre stage, and who better than Jennifer Saint to do so.
Published by: Penguin Random House Canada
Imprint Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication date: June 9, 2026
Love, Gods & Sinners by Camille Chong
If you’ve ever wished for the vibes of K-Pop Demon Hunters but older, queer and a little spicy – get ready for Camille Chong’s New Adult debut Love, Gods and Sinners! –Pan Macmillan
Okay, so we are huge fans of Kpop Demon Hunters and anything with that referenced in the logline will be an instant yes. That being said, Camille Cho’s Love, Gods & Sinners is its own thing, and the debut novel promises to be an epic adventure set in the streets of Singapore. Dive into an enemies-to-lovers fantasy complete with magical clans, action and love.
Published by: Pan Macmillan
Imprint Publisher: First Ink
Publication date: June 11, 2026
A Prince Among Pirates by Katie Abdou
A charming nobleman accidentally joins a pirate ship and falls for its debonair captain in this swashbuckling queer debut that’s perfect for fans of F.T. Lukens and Our Flag Means Death. –Simon & Schuster
Gay pirates. Enough said. Jokes! Let’s dive into why we are definitely picking up Katie Abdou’s A Prince Among Pirates. We’ve got Kit, who is eager to escape a stuffy life dictated by his father. A sudden decision gets him on a ship with a charismatic captain who is the exact opposite of Kit. Queue the romance. For my darlings still mourning Our Flag Means Death and Black Sails, this is for us.
Published by: Simon & Schuster Canada
Imprint Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date: June 16, 2026
The Lovers, The Liars and Me by DeAndra Davis
A teen travels to Jamaica hoping to answer questions about her absent mother, only to discover more about her identity than she could have ever expected—and find herself caught up in an unexpected love triangle—in this dazzling young adult coming-of-age novel by award-winning author DeAndra Davis. –Simon & Schuster
DeAndra Davis is back, following up All the Noise at Once with The Lovers, The Liars and Me, a contemporary romance. We are in a new golden age of teen drama, both on the page and on screen, and this novel sounds like the perfect book to read for that adrenaline spike you can only get when young folks get up to shenanigans. This book follows Jaliya as she travels to Jamaica on a mission to learn more about her estranged mother. Things get complicated when Jaliya’s childhood crush appears to have gotten a glow up, but wait for it, this is a free-spirited young woman who catches her eye, too. Dramaaa…and all on a vibrant island. Sign us up!
Published by: Simon & Schuster Canada
Imprint Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date: June 23, 2026
A Great and Powerful Tyranny by Victoria Carbol
Perfect for fans of Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince, this dark, queer reimagining of the classic Wizard of Oz tale centers a slow-burn, sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance in an electrifying portal fantasy.
Did you watch Wicked and think to yourself, “This can be a little more gay?” Victoria Carbol has got you covered. A Great and Powerful Tyranny is queer reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy is Thia, a young woman who learns of a family secret that has her tripping into a new world and killing a witch by accident. Thia joins three individuals cursed by the powerful Mage King and finds herself drawn to the heartless girl, this version of Tin Man. We’ve had quite a few adaptations of the beloved tale, but this one has all the right elements to stand on its own.
Published by: Macmillan
Imprint Publisher: Page Street Publishing Co.
Publication date: June 23, 2026
Moss’d in Space by Rebecca Thorne
USA Today Bestselling author Rebecca Thorne delights with a brand-new cozy sci-fi romance series for fans of Martha Wells. –MacMillan
This book caught us by surprise because the story is unlike others we have read. Moss’d in Space, points for the Lost in Space reference, is described as a cozy science fiction following our protagonist Torian, and their recent purchase of an alien starship that is covered by a sentient moss that is actually an organic computer with an attitude. Zany and fun is what that sounds like, and with all the heaviness in the world, a comforting, cozy sci-fi seems like the right antidote after a long day.
Published by: Macmillan
Imprint Publisher: Bramble
Publication date: June 30, 2026
The Revelation of Dionne Daphne by Mara Brock Akil
Mara Brock Akil, the award-winning creator of Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane, Love Is, and Forever, pens an emotionally enthralling debut novel about enduring love, world-shattering secrets, and self-awakening. –Penguin Random House
After creating iconic and substantive TV shows like Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane and Forever, Mara Brock Akil turns her attention towards the literary world. The award-winning creator’s debut novel The Revelation of Dionne Daphne follows a beauty editor at a prestigious magazine whose life is upended by the sudden appearance of an ex-boyfriend at her door. The book gives the audience a human story, following a woman as she unravels and discovers herself again. It is hard to predict what’s to come, but knowing Akil’s works, it will be thought-provoking and full of life.
Published by: Penguin Random House Canada
Imprint Publisher: Storehouse Voices
Publication date: June 30, 2026
Winners & Liars by Aleema Omotoni
Knives Out meets Death at Morning House in this thrilling standalone mystery layered with family secrets, the whitewashing of history, and a high-stakes literary competition for the keys to a Victorian-era English estate—from Aleema Omotoni, the NAACP Image Award-winning author of Everyone’s Thinking It. –HarperCollins
Sometimes the logline is enough to get you racing to the nearest bookstore and pick up this book. Aleema Omotoni’s Winners & Liars feeds into many of our current obsessions: period dramas featuring people of colour in core roles and exciting mysteries. There isn’t much else to say why we are totally ready to devour this novel!
Published by: HarperCollins Canada
Publication date: June 30, 2026
The Winged Game by Sophie Kim
Fantasy meets sports romance in this sizzling slow-burn novel in which the disgraced star of a brutal magical sport must team up with the rival who destroyed her career, from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The God and the Gumiho. –Penguin Random House
There is a theme cooking in this collection of recommendations: the enemies-to-lovers trope. We can’t resist, and Sophie Kim hits us with a genre-bending treat. The Winged Game is a sports romantasy; the featured sport is Carriwitchet, a violent version of rugby on winged beasts. The synopsis promises an action-packed and saucy romantasy that screams book-to-movie adaptation. We need it!
Published by: Penguin Random House Canada
Imprint Publisher: Del Rey
Publication date: June 30, 2026
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