With warm weather rolling in, it's the perfect time to lounge around outside while enjoying a gripping new read. To help you select your next novel, we've rounded up ten of the most popular releases this month. Which will you check out first? 

Ariel by Sylvia Plath 

Okay, so these stories certainly didn't hit the shelves for the first time this month, but Harper Perennial Modern Classics has decided to celebrate this collection again in 2018. If you haven't ever perused Plath's works of poetry, which have earned acclaim across the globe, take this as your opportunity to do so for the first time. 

"One of the most marvelous volumes of poetry published for a very long time." - Times Literary Supplement 

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 

This debut novel has taken the world of teenage and adult readers by storm. Adeyemi's dynamic story follows three characters on a quest to restore magic in a fantastical realm. It's got everything: romance, action, creativity, complexity, diversity. Pick up a copy and become entranced in a world of magic and West-African culture. 

"Powerful, captivating, and raw—Adeyemi is a talent to watch. Exceptional." - Kirkus, Starred Review

Every Note Played by Lisa Genova 

This novel, written by the author of Still Alice, explores the pain and freedom of living. Richard is an accomplished pianist, but when he develops ALS, he begins to lose everything that matters to him, including his career. Follow his story as he meets Karina, a reluctant caretaker who has her own troubles to deal with. 

“[A] gripping novel... Unsparing in her depiction of the disease’s harrowing effects, neuroscientist Genova also celebrates humanity and the rewards of asking for, and offering, forgiveness.” - People Magazine 

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff 

If you haven't given the Illuminae series a shot yet, do so now so that you can revel in the glory that is this final installment in the series. Action-packed and so original, this space saga will have you on the edge of your seat from page one, and the third book is the best of them all. 

"An adrenaline-pumping action story with timely themes and lasting resonance thanks to the focus on the characters' humanity." - Kirkus starred review

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan 

When Leigh's mother dies, she becomes convinced that she transformed into a bird. She begins her avid search for her mother after she travels to Taiwan and meets her maternal grandparents for the first time. As she hunts for the bird, she attempts to reconcile the clashing romances and pains of her past. Filled with raw emotion, this is one novel that will leave you full of both hope and despair. 

"Emily X.R. Pan's brilliantly crafted, harrowing first novel portrays the vast spectrum of love and grief with heart-wrenching beauty and candor. This is a very special book." - John Green, bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All the Way Down

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo 

You might have heard the tale of the Little Mermaid, but you've never heard it told quite like this. Swap out red-headed Disney princesses for fierce sirens that are more likely to drown a prince than kiss him, and get rid of your preconceptions of mermaids altogether. It's a fun spin on a classic fairytale and very well-written. 

"Readers who enjoy dark fairy tales of The Little Mermaid persuasion will sink into this bloody tale with pleasure." - RT Book Reviews

Close to Home by Cara  Hunter 

When an eight-year-old girl disappeared, the lead detective thinks he knows who is behind it, but finding evidence to prove his theory seems nearly impossible. Join him as he handles the mystery's twists and turns and strives to achieve justice for young Daisy. 

"Hunter does a masterly job of building tension and keeping the reader guessing to the very end." - Publishers Weekly 

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi 

This popular novel is set right here in Texas. Penny moves to Austin to learn how to become a writer, and she crosses paths with a guy named Sam. Before they know it, they're sharing their secret anxieties, fears, and hopes with each other via text message. Emergency Contact is an intriguing look at what a friendship can be without face-to-face interactions. 

"Blushingly tender and piquant...Choi... inserts timely issues like sexual assault, cultural appropriation and even DACA into her characters’ intimate conversations, but it is her examination of digital vs. F2F communication that feels the most immediate." - The New York Times Book Review

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth 

Gripping and shocking, this book takes place in a small suburb that holds a surprisingly secretive family. Follow along as three women gossip about the new neighbors and try to figure out what happened to the little girl who disappeared three years ago. 

"Hepworth deftly keeps the reader turning pages and looking for clues, all the while building multilayered characters and carefully doling out bits of their motivations." - Booklist

The Room on Rue Amélie by Kristin Harmel 

The internationally best-selling author of The Sweetness of Forgetting returns to the stage with a book set in World War II. Harmel tells the story of three people: Ruby Henderson Benoit, a newlywed woman in Nazi-occupied France; Charlotte Dacher, a young woman stuck in the midst of Jewish restrictions in Germany; and Thomas Clarke, a man who questions his loyalty as a British pilot. 

"Harmel’s emotionally fraught story hammers home the message that each person has a unique opportunity to stand against injustice. This is a celebration of those, like Ruby, who found the courage to face life head-on." - Publishers Weekly