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The best books of the year (so far)
Highly anticipated book releases that have been published so far in 2023.
Published on January 17, 2024
Curated ByLanie Pemberton
Lanie is a San Diego-based freelance writer who loves reading crime thrillers and nonfiction about animals and the natural world. When not writing and reading (or writing about what to read), Lanie spends as much time as possible at the beach with her husband and pampered pittie, Peach.
Pulling the Chariot of the Sun: A Memoir of a Kidnapping
Shane McCraeMcCrae, an award-winning poet, National Book Award finalist (“In the Language of My Captor”), and 2019 Guggenheim fellow, delivers a memoir about identity erasure and reclamation. As a toddler, the author’s white grandparents kidnapped him from his Black father, instilling racist ideals into his young mind and alienating him from his heritage. McCrae’s memories unfold in poetic prose that highlights the emotional toll his experiences had on his coming-of-age.
Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II
Lena S. AndrewsLike many important moments in history, most accounts of WWII are male-centric. Andrews, a CIA analyst, corrects the narrative with this meticulously researched exploration of the hundreds of thousands of women who were instrumental in winning the war. The author weaves profiles of and interviews with the women alongside riveting stories of female pilots, engineers, nurses, spies, translators, and more, recognizing the brave, brilliant people who deserve a place in our history books.
The Librarianist: A Novel
Patrick deWittAt 71, retired librarian Bob Comet lives a life of solitude until happenstance leads him to the local senior center. There, Bob opens up to his newfound friends, sharing non-linear memories from boyhood and young adulthood. As each new slice of life is revealed, the complete picture of Bob comes into focus. deWitt follows his 2018 novel, “French Exit,” with this slow but steady exploration of a life well lived and how every encounter can alter our stories.
Immortal Longings
Chloe GongYA author and BookTok sensation Gong (“Foul Lady Fortune,” “These Violent Delights”) makes her adult debut with a trilogy starter inspired by “Antony & Cleopatra” and likened to “The Hunger Games.” The kingdom of Talin hosts an annual winner-take-all, fight-to-the-death competition with unthinkable wealth on the line. Princess Calla enters in disguise and quickly allies with Anton, a royal exile. Their rivals-to-lovers relationship keeps the tension high, as do political intrigue and fantastical battle sequences.
Ripe: A Novel
Sarah Rose EtterCassie works a grueling job at a tech startup, where the irony of Silicon Valley wealth amid rampant homelessness in San Francisco is on full display. A pervasive sense of dread haunts Cassie, along with a black hole only she can see. Is the world ending, or is Cassie losing her mind? Corporate greed and our depression-riddled age are at the forefront of this increasingly surreal novel by the Shirley Jackson-winning author of “The Book of X.”
Owner of a Lonely Heart: A Memoir
Beth NguyenNguyen’s family fled Vietnam when she was only eight months old, leaving her mother behind. They wouldn’t see each other again for 18 years. In this highly anticipated memoir, Nguyen (“Stealing Buddha's Dinner”) ponders her identity as a daughter, mother, refugee, and American and how her birth mother’s absence shaped her sense of belonging and self. A contemplative and affecting reminder of how our heritage informs every stage of our lives.
All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel
S. A. CosbyThe acclaimed crime writer who brought us propulsive hits like “Blacktop Wasteland” and “Razorblade Tears” returns with a new noir Publishers Weekly calls “easily the author’s strongest work to date.” A fatal school shooting leads Sheriff Titus Crowne into a complex web of racially motivated crime, forcing him to reckon with his role as a Black law enforcement officer in the American South. Narrator Adam Lazarre-White brings Cosby’s work to life once again, building tension in all the right ways.
Lady Tan's Circle of Women: A Novel
Lisa SeeA rarity for 15th-century China, Tan Yunxian trains as a physician to help female patients, who cannot be seen or touched by male doctors, but an arranged marriage into a traditional family threatens to stifle her calling. This historical fiction by See (“The Island of Sea Women,” “The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane”) is based on the real Tan Yunxian, whose book, “Miscellaneous Records of a Female Doctor,” is one of the first medical texts by a woman in the Ming dynasty.
Pageboy: A Memoir
Elliot PageIn one of the most anticipated celebrity memoirs of the summer — and perhaps the year — Page reveals the complex process of shaking off outside expectations and embracing one’s true self. The Oscar-nominated actor (“Juno,” “The Umbrella Academy”) came out as transgender in 2020, but his memoir begins much earlier, allowing readers to follow along with Page’s vulnerable and powerful journey.
The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club)
Abraham VergheseThe long-awaited latest by Verghese (“Cutting for Stone”) is a family saga that unfolds over much of 20th-century India, giving readers a glimpse of the nation’s changing cultural landscape. It follows three generations of a family that’s simultaneously cursed with tragedy and blessed with gifts of sharp intelligence and creativity. Whether it's describing the gorgeous landscape or a breakthrough medical procedure, Verghese’s lush prose is rare and moving.
The Nigerwife: A Novel
Vanessa WaltersNicole belongs to the Nigerwives, a group of foreign women who married into high society in Lagos, Nigeria. Her life seems picture perfect — until she vanishes without a trace. Nicole’s aunt Claudine travels to Lagos to find her niece, and her search slowly reveals the truth about Nicole’s not-so-idyllic life and marriage. Divided between the “before” and “after,” and delivered from dual perspectives, Walters’ adult debut uses a thriller plot to dissect power imbalances, patriarchal cultures, and the choices women make to survive.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?: A Novel
Crystal Smith PaulA sweeping debut on how racism and misogyny alter our stories and shape future generations, “Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?” begins with the death of an elderly Hollywood starlet. When a shocking secret is found in her old journals, it shakes her wealthy Black neighbors, the St. John sisters, to the core. Paul revisits the Golden Age of Cinema through Kitty’s reflections, revealing the many ways women and people of color had to sacrifice their identities and dignities to be seen.
The Half Moon: A Novel
Mary Beth Keane“Ask Again, Yes” author Keane is back with a midlife story of dreams dashed and a marriage on the rocks in this moving, slow burn drama. Malcolm finally managed to buy the Half Moon, the bar where he’s worked for years, but is struggling to make the payments. Jess wants a baby more than anything, but multiple rounds of expensive IVF have failed. Set over the course of a week in their small town, the couple navigates longing and disappointment as a blizzard hits and a regular at the Half Moon goes missing.
Weyward: A Novel
Emilia HartThree women living centuries apart grapple with abuses by the patriarchy. In the 1600s, Altha is accused of witchcraft for offering reproductive care to women in her village. During WWII, Violet, Altha’s descendant who lives under a controlling father, can’t stop wondering about her mother’s mysterious death. In the present day, Kate takes refuge from her abusive boyfriend in the cottage she inherited from her great-aunt Violet. Hart combines historical fiction, magical realism, and feminism into one powerhouse story.
Warrior Girl Unearthed
Angeline BoulleyReturn to Sugar Island, the setting of “Firekeeper's Daughter,” in Boulley’s standalone sophomore novel. While interning for the Ojibwe Tribal Council, Perry Firekeeper-Birch learns that a local university is wrongly holding the remains of a Native girl. Perry, her twin Pauline, and their fellow interns concoct a plan to return “Warrior Girl” to her Anishinaabe ancestors. Though “Warrior Girl Unearthed” is a lively YA heist, it explores deeper themes like repatriation and the epidemic of violence against Indigenous women.
Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino”
Héctor TobarDrawing on personal and collective experiences, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tobar (“The Last Great Road Bum”) examines commonly held beliefs about the “Latino” identity in America. Moving between his native L.A. and other Latino enclaves across the country, Tobar’s lyrical essays cover the many missing pieces in Latino and Hispanic stereotypes, and how the popular yet reductive “non-white” identity fails to represent and respect one of the largest people groups in the nation.
You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America
You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America
Paul KixKix’s book, which reads more like a thriller than a true historical account, explores how Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference leveraged the violent police presence in Birmingham, Alabama, to gain national attention during the fight for civil rights in America. Kix makes several comparisons to today’s continued battle for racial justice and equality, illustrating that, no matter how far we’ve come, we still have a long road ahead of us.
Camp Zero: A Novel
Michelle Min Sterling“Annihilation” meets “The Handmaid's Tale” when Rose, a Korean American sex worker determined to provide for her mother, and Grant, a teacher trying to escape his family’s reputation, arrive at a climate refugee settlement in remote Canada. Sterling’s thrilling plot moves quickly between Rose, Grant, and an all-women society called White Alice. Tensions build in each storyline as it becomes apparent that nothing is as it seems.
Small Mercies: A Novel
Dennis LehaneIn 1970s Boston at the height of desegregation tensions, Mary Pat Fennessey’s teen daughter goes missing the same night a young Black man is found dead. Mary’s probing questions raise the hackles of the Irish mob, hinting at a possible connection between the two events. Lehane, whose body of work includes bestselling novels like “Shutter Island” and “Mystic River” (both of which were adapted into blockbuster films), delivers a new gripping thriller that’s dark yet hopeful with themes of race and class at the forefront.
You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir
Maggie SmithIn lyrical prose, poet Smith (“Keep Moving”) chronicles her journey of heartbreak and healing after a difficult divorce, discussing themes like gender roles, the patriarchy, and motherhood with striking vulnerability. Above all, this memoir proves that the end is often a new beginning.
A Living Remedy: A Memoir
Nicole ChungIn her second affecting memoir (following “All You Can Ever Know”), Chung mourns the loss of her mother and father while skewering the systems that failed them. A Korean American adopted by white parents, the author reflects on race, class, and how family members often hide their grief from one another. Chung’s pain is visceral, and the helplessness she portrays is something we can all relate to after the pandemic.
Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic
Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic
Simon WinchesterIn our modern, tech-driven world, any fact is accessible with a few taps and swipes, but that may not be such a good thing. In a blend of history and journalism, Winchester (“Land,” “The Professor and the Madman”) chronicles our relationship with information — how we’ve gathered, stored, and accessed it — with special attention paid to new advancements that may simultaneously broaden our worlds and narrow our ability to think.
Künstlers in Paradise
Cathleen SchineSchine’s (“The Grammarians”) latest is an engaging and witty ode to storytelling. Mamie Künstler has lived in Los Angeles since her family fled Austria in 1939. In 2020, her floundering grandson comes calling, but lockdown extends his visit indefinitely. Mamie fills their time by sharing stories of Old Hollywood and her community of refugees, including notable Jewish artists, performers, and intellectuals.
Y/N: A Novel
Esther YiDubbed one of the most anticipated releases of the year by outlets like Literary Hub, Esquire, and Entertainment Weekly, Yi’s fervent debut follows a Korean American copywriter who becomes entranced with a K-pop star. “Y/N” moves from Berlin to Seoul and between reality and fanfiction, exploring how art and fandom shape our sense of self.
Chlorine: A Novel
Jade SongFaced with mounting pressure to secure an Ivy League scholarship, high school swimmer Ren Yu dreams about leaving her life behind and becoming a mermaid. Her fantasies spiral into something dark and corporeal as the novel progresses. Sapphic coming-of-age meets body horror in this disconcerting but unputdownable debut reminiscent of Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.”
Now You See Us: A Novel
Balli Kaur JaswalMurder mystery blends smoothly with sharp social commentary in Jaswal’s (“Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows”) latest work. Three Filipina domestic workers living in Singapore take matters into their own hands after Flordeliza, another maid, is accused of killing her employer.
We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America
Roxanna AsgarianTo the outside world, Jennifer and Sarah Hart and their six adopted children looked like a happy found family — a transracial adoption success story. But on March 26, 2018, Jennifer and Sarah committed an unthinkable act, ending all eight of their lives. This harrowing work of investigative journalism by Asgarian covers not only the Hart family murder-suicide, but also the failings of the U.S. foster and adoption systems when it comes to protecting vulnerable children, particularly those of color.
The Story of Art Without Men
Katy HesselLike many aspects of history, art history has skewed heavily male and white. Hessel challenges this narrative with a fascinating exploration of the women artists long-excluded from the narrative. Her deep-dives into artistic movements from the Baroque period to the present prove that women weren’t missing from the scene — they were merely ignored. “The Story of Art Without Men” is an engaging, enlightening, and long-awaited read.
When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach
When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach
Ashlee VanceVance (a Bloomberg Businessweek journalist and author of “Elon Musk”), gives a vivid account of recent attempts to commodify outer space. Unlike the Space Race of the 20th century, the modern race is between private companies rather than governments, and it’s for profit rather than glory. In storytelling style, Vance profiles the four main companies who’ve made aerospace advancements over the last two decades and explores where these developments may take us in the future.
Big Swiss: A Novel
Jen BeaginGreta, a transcriptionist for a sex coach, is beguiled by one client’s voice, nicknaming her “Big Swiss.” Then Greta meets Big Swiss in real life, and a passionate love affair begins. Only Beagin (“Vacuum in the Dark”), with her penchant for the off-color and eccentric, could pen a romantic comedy that’s as weird as it is endearing, addressing trauma while simultaneously making fun of New York elites.
Don't Fear the Reaper
Stephen Graham JonesJones returns with a sequel to his 2021 Bram Stoker-winning novel, “My Heart Is a Chainsaw.” After four years in prison, Jade Daniels is back in Proofrock, Idaho, now going by Jennifer. Her name may be new, but some things never change: Jennifer must once again use her slasher film expertise when a serial killer starts shedding blood. Sharp in dialogue and plot, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” more than lives up to Jones’ reputation as a master of contemporary Indigenous horror.
Users
Colin WinnetteAn unlikable video game designer named Miles creates a new virtual reality game that sparks unexpected backlash. As his career and personal life spiral, increasingly desperate Miles grasps for new ideas. Winnette (“The Job of the Wasp”) delivers a dizzying sci-fi thriller that explores the dangers of unchecked ambition and innovation. The perfect companion read for HBO’s “Severance,” starring Adam Scott.
After Sappho
Selby Wynn Schwartz“At its heart, the book is about trying to find a shape for your life that hasn’t already been prescribed as your inevitable, cramped destiny,” says debut author Schwartz of her new novel. “After Sappho” fills in historical gaps, speculating on the lives, pursuits, and feelings of 20th-century women like Virginia Woolf and Natalie Barney. This story splinters between the protagonists but reads like a collective chorus railing against patriarchal expectations.
All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me
Patrick BringleyAfter a heartbreaking loss, Bringley left his position at The New Yorker to work as a guard in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For a decade, the author found comfort in the ecosystem of one of New York’s most-loved institutions. This thought-provoking memoir chronicles the art, visitors, and personal epiphanies that hallmarked Bringley’s time at the Met.
Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages
Carmela CiuraruThe inner workings of five unhappy marriages unfold in this eye-opening trek through 20th-century literary history by Ciuraru (“Nom de Plume: A (Secret) History of Pseudonyms”). Each couple includes a famous author husband (including Roald Dahl and Kingsley Amis), who often only rose to fame thanks to their wives’ sacrifices and subservience. An incisive and fascinating look at how male privilege prevents women from pursuing their ambitions and achieving their dreams.
Maame: A Today Show Read With Jenna Book Club Pick
Jessica GeorgeMaddie, the dependable one in her British Ghanaian family, finally chooses to prioritize herself and build the life she deserves. George’s novel, called a “pitch-perfect debut” by Publishers Weekly, is a coming-of-age journey featuring a vulnerable protagonist readers can simultaneously identify with and root for. “Maame” includes themes of systemic racism, family obligations, and self-empowerment.
This Other Eden
Paul HardingIn the 18th century, former slave Benjamin Honey settled Malaga Island off the coast of Maine alongside his Irish wife. Over a century later, government officials would forcefully displace the mixed-race inhabitants of Malaga. Many were involuntarily institutionalized. Harding (author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Tinkers”) rehumanizes history in this fictitious retelling of true events, highlighting the effects of racism, eugenics, and colonization with affecting prose and rich characterization.
The New Life: A Novel
Tom CreweCrewe’s debut novel, set in 1894 England, explores how sexual oppression damages identities, families, and freedom. John Addington and Henry Ellis, both in nontraditional relationships, collaborate on a book that argues for the acceptance of homosexuality, ultimately sparking outrage and legal troubles. The story, inspired by actual historical figures and featuring Oscar Wilde’s criminal conviction for “indecency,” brings the period and all its injustices to life.
Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom
Ilyon WooWoo revives an incredibly true story in “Master Slave Husband Wife.” The book, which Woo is careful to root in verifiable facts, follows Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery in 19th-century America by posing as slave and master on their travels north. It’s a remarkable tale of determination and steadfast love, and the author paints a vivid picture of the time, including the myriad dangers enslaved people faced.
A Guest at the Feast: Essays
Colm TóibínTóibín, the award-winning Irish author who brought us titles like “The Magician” and “Brooklyn,” delivers a sharply funny essay collection. Covering topics like beating cancer (thus entering “the age of one ball”), growing up in Ireland, religion, and sexuality, Tóibín's talent for moving readers with authentic and profound expression shines through once again.
Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater
Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater
Peggy OrensteinOrenstein (“Cinderella Ate My Daughter,” “Boys & Sex”) shares a story we’re all familiar with: trying to stay sane during 2020’s quarantine. The journalist’s project of choice was creating a sweater from scratch — not just knitting it, but shearing the sheep, dying the wool, and beyond. Along the way, Orenstein discovers much about the world and herself. “Unraveling” ranges from funny to melancholy and is steadfastly engaging.
Love, Pamela: A Memoir of Prose, Poetry, and Truth
Pamela AndersonGet to know the real Anderson as you’ve never seen her before. She may be best known for her role in “Baywatch” and modeling for Playboy, but Anderson is far from the overly sexualized caricature the media and pop culture paint her to be. Devoted mother, lover of literature, passionate activist, and creator — these aspects and more are revealed in this vulnerable, heartfelt memoir.
Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives
Siddharth KaraKara, a professor and expert in modern slavery, explores how the smartphones and laptops that power the developed world are rooted in heinous human rights violations. Part exposé, part call-to-action, this alarming book sheds light on the realities of Congolese cobalt miners (including children), who suffer under brutal conditions and poverty so that we can scroll, stream, and stay connected.
Bloodbath Nation
Paul AusterGun violence is a singularly American issue, costing over 40,000 citizens their lives each year. In this compelling work of nonfiction, Auster (“Sunset Park”) explores how U.S. gun culture developed — and why the nation has yet to make changes. Blending statistics, anecdotes, and analysis, he walks readers through essential history, including ratifying the Second Amendment, clashes with Native Americans, and modern-day mass shootings, even weaving in his own dark family history with guns.