THE FOOL de Baba Ademoroti

A warm, tender and absolutely heartbeaking debut from a writer to watch.

THE FOOL
by Baba Ademoroti
Henry Holt, 2027
(via Neon Literary)

When Niyi learns that his 30-year-old son is gay, the discovery unmoors him, unlocking a burning need to re-examine his life. In a series of letters to his only son, Niyi lays bare his past, and the (supposed) clarity and wisdom on the page reveals more about Niyi than he has ever cared to acknowledge. Set across Nigeria, from Kano, in the north, to the bustling metropolis of Lagos, to an unnamed quiet war town in the deep south, The Fool asks the question: How can you make sense of a life if you came of age in a time and place without a language to speak your heart or a model to mirror your existence?

In the tradition of Gilead, The Remains of the Day, and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, THE FOOL explores themes of place, masculinity and queerness, and the ensuing shockwaves when we are confronted with a starkly different way of being, after a life lived in instructed and familiar ways.

Baba Ademoroti, a Yoruba writer from Lagos, Nigeria, received an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and is pursuing a PhD at the University of Houston. His short fiction is forthcoming or has appeared in American Short Fiction, The Southern Review, AGNI, and in a special literary supplement selected and edited by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

SHE HAD ENOUGH de Stacie Grey

Six friends. One dinner. And a secret that won’t stay buried.

SHE HAD ENOUGH
by Stacie Grey
Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks, July 2026

Mallory Taylor was looking forward to a fun night out with old college friends—nostalgia, laughter, nothing more. But Caitlin, always the quiet one of the group, seems even more withdrawn than usual. On edge. Distant. Then, hours after the women all head their separate ways, a massive earthquake reduces San Francisco to rubble—and Caitlin disappears.

It isn’t until six months later, as the city begins to recover, that Mallory learns the truth. Was her disappearance related to the earthquake? Or was something else, something sinister, going on with Caitlin?

No one else seems alarmed. No one is asking questions. But the more Mallory digs, the more she uncovers secrets from that night: fractures in their friendships, hidden motives, and quiet betrayals. The kind of secrets people would kill to protect.

Twisty, atmospheric, and impossible to put down, SHE HAD ENOUGH is a chilling exploration of friendship, silence, and what happens when one woman refuses to stop asking questions.

Stacie Grey is the pseudonym of cozy mystery author Daisy Bateman. She lives with her husband and dog in California.

THIS IS WHY WE DON’T DATE SERIAL KILLERS de L.M. Gilmore

Fans of Brynne Weaver and Navessa Allen will delight in this killer dark romcom by upcoming author L.M. Gilmore. When your soulmate’s a serial killer, true love gives ‘touch her and die’ a whole new meaning—but all the red flags in the world won’t stop Roxie from being with the man of her dreams until death (or murder) may they part.

THIS IS WHY WE DON’T DATE SERIAL KILLERS
by L.M. Gilmore
Sourcebooks, January 2027

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of a serial killer, Roxie wants one thing and one thing only: her rescuer’s phone number. Too bad he disappears into the night, determined to return to his solitary life of hunting down the men who give serial killing a bad name.

The last thing Maximilian Ruscombe wants is to be saddled with an unhinged stalker who’s determined to make him out to be some kind of hero. But when Roxie puts herself in the direct path of another serial killer in order to draw him out, he has no choice but to kidnap her and take her in hand.

Only instead of showing fear at her captivity, Roxie kind of likes it. In fact, she’s never had a hotter experience in her life. She’ll stop at nothing to enjoy it again and again…even if it means convincing Max to let her be used as bait to draw out one of the worst criminals Sin City has ever seen.

As the pair of them join forces to catch a killer before time runs out, Max and Roxie discover that dating in the modern world comes with its challenges—especially when one of them is a sociopath and the other just wants her Happily Ever After.

L.M Gilmore is the open pen name of Lucy Gilmore, celebrated novelist in a wide range of genres, including literary fiction, contemporary romance, and cozy mystery. She began her reading (and writing) career as an English literature major and ended as a book lover without all those pesky academic papers attached. She lives in Spokane, WA with her family.

DEAR ANXIOUS WOMAN de Kelly Vincent

A compassionate guide for the woman who never stops trying.

DEAR ANXIOUS WOMAN:
A therapist’s Letters for Women With High-Functioning Anxiety
by Kelly Vincent
Sourcebooks, March 2027

She’s the woman everyone counts on—capable, accomplished, and dependable. On the outside, it looks like she has it all together, but on the inside she knows the truth. She’s exhausted. What’s more, she’s caught in cycles of overthinking, perfectionism, and self-doubt.

This is High-Functioning Anxiety—and if you recognize yourself here, this book was written for you.

DEAR ANXIOUS WOMAN isn’t another checklist or step-by-step plan to “fix” yourself. Instead, it’s a deeply human conversation: a collection of heartfelt letters from a therapist who understands what it’s like to be the strong one, the reliable one, the woman who holds everything together.

Through real client stories, personal reflections, and evidence-based healing tools, each chapter speaks directly to a different part of the high-functioning anxiety experience— perfectionism, people-pleasing, overthinking, difficulty resting, fear of failure, and more. You’ll meet women who feel like they’re always falling behind, who can’t say no, who carry everyone else’s needs while ignoring their own—and see yourself in their stories.

You don’t have to hold it all together anymore.

Kelly Vincent is a licensed psychologist working in private practice in Encinitas, California. Her area of specialty is working with women, young adults, moms, and female entrepreneurs. She utilizes an integrative mind-body approach in therapy, as she feels passionate about treating clients holistically. She is also passionate about mental health advocacy and reducing the stigma of going to therapy, and explores such topics on her professional @dr.kellyvincent Instagram account.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD de Barbara Lazio

You’ll never believe what’s inside people’s heads! This humorous and heartwarming collection of stories from a neurosurgeon reminds us all that life is hopeful, tender—and a little bit squishy.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD:
Stories from the Operating Room That Will Make You Laugh (or Cry)
by Barbara Lazio
Sourcebooks, September 2026

Inside every skull is a story of heart, humanity―and the occasional hairball.

You might think brain surgery is all cool precision and high-stakes drama. Sometimes it is. But more often, it’s a gritty, smelly, surprisingly absurd job―one that involves titanium screws, tumors the size of grapefruits, and moments so human they’ll break your heart or make you snort with laughter behind your surgical mask. In Off the Top of My Head, Dr. Barbara Lazio peels back the sterile curtain of the operating room and shares the unexpected stories that come with a life spent elbows-deep in the human brain.

With warmth, wit, and a scalpel-sharp eye for detail, Dr. Lazio invites readers into her world―where mortality is never far away, but neither is meaning, connection, or the occasional gallows-humored joke.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Gripping behind-the-scenes moments from the OR―equal parts miraculous and messy
• Memorable patients facing the unimaginable with courage, humor, and grace
• A rare glimpse into the emotional life of a neurosurgeon
• Unexpected levity in the face of death, grief, and the unknown

Whether she’s rebuilding a shattered skull or laughing through tears with a family on the edge of loss, Dr. Lazio reminds us that behind every dramatic headline or surgical success is something deeply, beautifully human.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD is a book for anyone who wonders what really happens when the brain―and life―hangs in the balance.

Dr. Barbara E. Lazio is a neurosurgeon with experience in the surgical treatment of conditions affecting the brain and spine, with a special interest in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. She specializes in stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of brain tumors. She completed her neurosurgery residency at the University of Maryland, where she was the first woman to graduate from the program. She enjoys getting to know her patients so she can help them return to activities that are important to them. A native of Ohio, Dr. Lazio has called the Pacific Northwest home since 2010. Outside of work she and her husband, Matt enjoy hiking, cycling, and spending time with their daughters.