Each month, hundreds of books are published, and sometimes they don’t get the attention they rightfully deserve. You may have heard of some of these books and authors already, and some may be completely new to you. Frolic is spotlighting unique and exciting books every month, from fiction and non-fiction, memoir, young adult, thrillers and more. If you’re looking for something new and different to read, or want to find your next favorite author, look no further! Here are our selected books for JUNE Under-the-Radar reads!
The North Face of the Heart by Dolores Redondo
If you’re a fan of serial killer books check out this thriller about Amaia Salazar, a young detective from Spain who’s been hired by the FBI to hunt the serial killer known as “the Composer.” From across the country and through storms and natural disasters, Amaia and FBI agent Aloisius Dupree are determined to track down this dangerous and elusive predator.
Shutter by Melissa Larsen
In the midst of grief, Betty Roux leaves everything behind and moves to New York City. When she’s offered a role in a mysterious indie film, where she’ll live in a cabin on a private island off the coast of Maine, along with a very small cast and crew, she readily agrees, having no idea what’s in store for her.
The Fiancee by Kate White
Summer, her husband Gabe, and his nine-year-old son head to the family estate, looking forward to a relaxing vacation. Gabe’s brother Nick brings Hannah who Summer is sure she’s met before, yet Hannah claims not to remember, which puts Summer on alert. The family members are smitten by Hannah, so Summer does her best to deal, especially when Nick announces the two are engaged. But when a beloved family member is found dead, Summer’s suspicions rise, and she can’t help but think that Hannah is responsible.
The Checklist by Addie Woolridge
Dylan Delacroix was doing great at work until she is sent back to her hometown of Seattle to help the eccentric CEO, or else she’ll be fired. Now back home, she’s got to deal with her parents, her weird neighbors, and the neighbors’ hot son. With so many professional and personal checklists to tackle, Dylan will have to do her very best to keep everything in ‘check’ in this delightful rom-com of a read.
The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
From the beloved Truly Devious series, amateur detective Stevie Bell is back on another investigation. And this time, it’s at summer camp, solving the mystery of a decades-old cold case involving a serial killer who might still be looking for victims. Could Stevie and her friends be next?
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
When fifty-year-old, happily married mom of three Elle sneaks outside her summer Cape Cod place to have sex with Jonas, her childhood love, she is faced with the ultimate decision. One act has now set in motion a life-changing decision and in the next twenty-four hours she will have to consider whether or not she will stay with her beloved husband Peter, or seek out the life she has always imagined with Jonas.
Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
In a fast-action thriller set in a 20-hour time period, flight attendant Mina receives an anonymous note from a passenger that tells her to do what he says or her daughter, back at home, will die. As passengers on the flight start dying, Mina must decide: Save the lives of her passengers, or comply, and save her five-year-old daughter at home.
Instamom by Chantel Guertin
Kit Kidding is a famous influencer who knows her niche online and is openly passionate about her choice to not be a mom. Then she has a one-night stand with chef Will MacGregor who happens to be a hot single dad. Kit’s prepared to move on, but she and Will are paired up for an Instagram campaign. Will is a bad idea, but the more time Kit spends with him and his eight-year-old daughter, the more she wonders if maybe she should change some of her philosophies in order to curate the life she really wants.
The World Gives Way by Marissa Levien
Myrra is a contract worker, having been hired for a life of labor by the highest bidder, and now she’s working for Carlyles. When the Carlyles are discovered dead, Myrra realizes she can be free, but she’s burdened with their suddenly orphaned daughter and the secret behind their death. Myrra needs to confront the truth about the world she lives in before it’s too late. A great read for fans of dystopian books!
The Way She Feels by Courtney Cook
Author Courtney Cook has borderline personality disorder (BDP). She has spent her life falling in love way too fast, hating herself, and living in fear of rejection because of the disorder. Like Courtney, more than four million people in the U.S. suffer from BPD. In her illustrated and personal graphic memoir, Courtney outlines what it’s like to live and love with BPD.
The Lockhart Women by Mary Camarillo
Brenda’s family is having a difficult time. Her husband has left them, her oldest daughter, who had planned on going away to college, must stay home and attend community college. High school senior Allison is falling in love but the relationship may be more than she bargained for. Set during the highly intense time of the O.J. Simpson case, the struggling Lockhart women will come together in their times of strife.
Beneath Devil’s Bridge by Loreth Ann White
Podcaster Trinity Scott is headed for success when she has the opportunity to interview Clayton Jay Pelley, a man convicted of a killing beneath Devil’s Bridge twenty years ago. As Trinity interviews Clayton from prison, the story of what really happened is slowly revealed. But someone is lying, and someone is keeping secrets, and Trinity is determined to find out the truth.
Lady Sunshine by Amy Mason Doan
Jackie Pierce spent one idyllic summer at her uncle’s estate exploring the bohemian lifestyle with musicians, artists and free spirits. But that summer ended abruptly when her cousin Willa meets a tragic fate. It’s now twenty years later, and Jackie has inherited the estate. When she returns to ready the place for sale, the past will resurface in unexpected ways and Jackie must confront the truth she may have known all along.
What’s Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh
Sarabeth is abducted when she is seventeen, pulled right from the remote farmhouse her family has moved to. A week after she is kidnapped, she is found, bloodied but alive. Her captor kept her blindfolded the entire time and never spoke a word. Five years later, after she has put the tragedy behind her, investigator Nick Farrow calls her. There has been another abduction, and Nick is sure that Sarabeth can help him find the missing girl.
Emma’s Laugh: The Gift of Second Chances by Diana Kupershmit
Powerful and emotional, Emma’s Laugh will both inspire and bring tears. When Diana’s first child was born with a rare genetic disorder, she doesn’t think she can properly care for her so she gives Emma up for adoption. But that was not to be, and Emma ‘found her way back home.’ Emma only lived to be eighteen, but during her time on earth, she helped her family know the power of healing and love. Diana’s ‘perfectly imperfect’ child was gone too soon, but the lessons and love learned continue to inspire.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Nella is the only Black girl at Wagner Books and is tired of the isolation and microaggressions she is subjected to. So, when Hazel, another Black girl, is hired to work alongside her, she is thrilled. Until Hazel becomes the office darling and Nella is left behind, back where she started. Then Nella receives a threatening anonymous message telling her to leave Wagner, and she begins to fear the office darling is after more than just her job.
A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams
Wedding gown designer Maya Jackson has returned to South Carolina from New York City to help her father heal from a fractured hip. Only home for a short while, she has found work at the local bridal boutique, but hadn’t expected to meet and fall for the widowed owner, Derek Sullivan. Derek is doing what he can to save his family’s bridal shop while also staying connected to his twelve-year-old daughter, who is still mourning the loss of her mother. Sparks will fly and Maya and Derek will need to let destiny do its thing.
Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford
Ashley’s father has been in prison and she has no idea why he’s there, but she wishes he was in her life. She’s constantly worrying, her changing body is drawing attention from men, and she starts dating a boy her mother doesn’t like. Then, her world turns upside down – she is raped and her grandmother shares the truth about why her father is in prison. A story of complicated familial love, poverty and assault, Ford’s debut memoir is ‘extraordinarily powerful.’
Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park
Digital detox camp is going to ruin Sunny Song’s summer and her chance to reach 100K followers and get famous. Stuck in Iowa with no WiFi was not the plan for her last summer of high school. But detox camp could surprise her, and unexpected friendships and a cute farm boy may just turn this into Sunny’s best summer ever.
Mona at Sea by Elizabeth Gonzalez James
Although Mona Mireles has been the typical overachiever, she’s recently hit rock-bottom – she’s unemployed, single and living back at home with her parents. The job she was planning on after college went south with the Great Recession, and she’s just gone viral as the “Sad Millennial.” She’s spiraling into pity, bitterness and drunk nights in suburban Tucson. When she joins a support group for people looking for work, she discovers that all might not be lost and that when one door closes, a window may open. Will she be brave enough to go through that open window?
