Loading
Underappreciated book releases of 2023
Outstanding debuts, moving memoirs, science fiction thrillers, and more — here are the top books that flew under the radar this year.
Published on March 19, 2024
Bad Cree
Jessica JohnsNightmares are bad enough without waking from one holding a literal severed head of a crow in your hand. That’s exactly what happens to Mackenzie, a young Cree woman grieving the sudden death of her sister. Tension pulses with each turn of the page in Johns’ debut supernatural horror.
Reef Road: A Novel
Deborah Goodrich RoyceRoyce’s psychological thriller, set on the cusp of the coronavirus pandemic in Palm Beach, Florida, follows a distraught mother and an unhinged writer who’re connected by crimes both past and present. “Reef Road” shifts between perspectives and offers plenty of twists and turns while unraveling two disturbing mysteries.
Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling
Elise BryantThe paths of a D&D Dungeon Master and lead singer of a band’s paths cross… and cross… and cross again. With this many chance encounters, it’s impossible to ignore the signs the universe is sending them. But before the two can find true love, they’ll both need to learn how to embrace their true, authentic selves. BIPOC leads, excellent disability representation, and an age-appropriate love story make Bryant’s YA romance a powerful and joyful read.
Forever Hold Your Peace
Liz FentonAfter the Big, Terrible Thing that happened over 25 years ago, ex-best friends June and Amy never thought they’d see each other again. That is, until their respective son and daughter fall in love and get engaged. “Father of the Bride” meets “You Again” in this hilariously messy rom com that’s heavy on the drama.
Head above Water: Reflections on Illness
Shahd AlshammariAn esteemed professor reflects and shares the challenges, resilience, and struggles she faces as a woman of color diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis). Piecing together diary entries and conversations with a friend, “Head Above Water” makes readers feel like they’ve pulled up a chair and joined the discussion as another confidante. This is a powerful and necessary memoir that spotlights the intersection of mental health, ableism, gender, and race.
Sunshine Nails: A Novel
Mai NguyenNguyen’s delightful debut follows a Vietnamese Canadian family scheming to protect their mom-and-pop nail salon when a fancy competitor moves into the neighborhood. Witty banter, relatable intergenerational squabbles, and madcap antics drive the plot, but more profound messages on legacy, gentrification, and the enduring power of family make this story memorable.
The Dream Builders: a novel
Oindrila MukherjeeManeka Roy has to contend with the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor upon her return to India, her home country, after the death of a parent in this novel. As she struggles to reconcile her American upbringing with her Indian identity, various people of differing backgrounds, classes, and professions rotate into the picture, giving readers a chance to view the city of Hrishipur through a variety of lenses. Mukherjee’s standout debut is a multi-layered, character-driven story that thoughtfully examines themes of belonging, familial obligation, and the effects of globalization.
Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs
Jamie LoftusMaybe a book about hot dogs wasn’t on your bingo card for 2023, but Loftus’ hilarious and informative travel narrative is a can’t-miss. Join the “Lolita Podcast” host on a cross-country road trip that dives deep into the fascinating history of the hot dog. As Loftus eats her way across the country, she investigates how violence, poverty, capitalism, and politics have all helped shape the seemingly humble American BBQ staple.
Company: Stories
Shannon SandersEvery family has its share of trauma, secrets, and interpersonal struggles. The Collins clan, a large middle-class Black family spanning the eastern seaboard, is no exception. In a series of slice-of-life vignettes, Sanders eloquently captures the undeniable fact that no one can love you (or drive you crazy) quite like your family can.
The Free People's Village
Sim KernWhat would the world look like if Al Gore had won the 2000 U.S. presidential election? Kern, an environmental journalist and founder of the #TransRightReadathon, explores exactly that in their cli-fi dystopian. Despite the sweeping changes that have been made to protect the earth, not all citizens have benefited equally. Readers follow along with Maddie, a white teacher by day and guitarist by night who must reconcile her privilege with her activism. Eat-the-rich vibes and other progressive ideals reverberate through a thoughtful and timely examination of climate change activism, societal inequity, and politics.
The Guest Lecture
Martin RikerThe night before she’s slated to give a guest lecture on John Maynard Keynes, Abby, a professor recently denied tenure, takes an imaginary stroll with Keynes himself, reflecting on economics and her family’s future. Called a “transporting, clever, and inspired work of fiction” by Publishers Weekly, “The Guest Lecture” is a metaphysical exploration of regret and hope from an anguished protagonist.
Hourglass
Keiran GoddardGoddard takes the sparsest of prose and somehow crafts it into an unforgettable and unusual meditation on love, loss, and family. In stream-of-consciousness style, with plenty of melancholy and a bit of sardonic humor, a young man recounts the epic love he found and lost.
Users
Colin WinnetteAn unlikable video game designer named Miles creates a new virtual reality game that sparks unexpected backlash. As his personal life and career spiral, Miles becomes increasingly desperate 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.
House of Cotton: A Novel
Monica BrashearsBroke and afraid, 19-year-old Magnolia Brown accepts a strange job offer at a funeral home, where she helps scam vulnerable customers by dressing as their lost loved ones. Haunted by her own deceased grandmother, Magnolia’s experiences become increasingly more bizarre. Brashears infuses Appalachian folklore into this unsettling but captivating horror story.
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. As 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.
Flux: A Novel
Jinwoo ChongStrap in for the wild ride that is Chong’s debut. It begins with three timelines following seemingly unrelated characters before slowly and cleverly revealing how their stories intertwine. The result is a mind-bending mystery with elements of noir, sci-fi, and speculative fiction. “Flux” is unlike anything else on this list.
You Are Here: A Novel
Karin Lin-GreenbergA Chinese single mom and her aspiring magician son, a Latine high school student dreaming of stardom, a lonely widow attempting to mend her racist ways — this group of eclectic strangers would never have met were it not for their connections to a dying suburban mall. Much like in real life, each character keeps their head down and minds their own business, until an act of violence brings them unexpectedly together. A moving slice-of-life story centered around a wonderfully realistic assortment of characters.
The East Indian: A Novel
Brinda CharryInspired by real-life figures, “The East Indian” chronicles the life of Tony, an orphaned boy kidnapped and forced into indentured servitude in Jamestown, Virginia. Despite the horrors of his reality, Tony never stops dreaming of a better future. Tony’s unique status as a non-African person of color in colonial Virginia and Charry’s meticulous research makes for an intriguing and insightful examination of America’s early history.
George: A Magpie Memoir
Frieda HughesHughes — facing the death of a parent, a failing marriage, and chronic pain — was in desperate need of a new project to focus her attention on. It arrived in the unexpected form of an orphaned magpie, whom she rescued and dubbed “George.” Little did she realize at the time how deeply the sometimes naughty but irresistibly lovable corvid would impact her life. This lovely memoir speaks to the special places animals hold in many of our hearts.
Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It
Greg MarshallInsightful, goofy, and full of love, Marshall’s coming-of-age memoir chronicles the story of a young man who lived with multiple secrets: He’s both a closeted gay kid growing up in Utah, and, unbeknownst to him, his limp is a result of having cerebral palsy (CP). (Hoping to spare him from labels and discrimination, his parents hide his CP diagnosis from him until he’s an adult.) Kirkus Reviews calls it, “A sparkling portrait of personal discovery and a celebration of family, forgiveness, and thriving with a disability.”
Maeve Fly
CJ LeedeLeede’s unhinged, graphic debut produces a ruthless sociopath so simultaneously likable and unlikable it’ll leave your head spinning. A theme park princess by day, Maeve Fly keeps her Patrick Bateman-esque persona hidden. No one would guess she’s a psychotic murderer leaving a bloody trail of bodies through Hollywood. With its stomach-churning violence and darkly irresistible anti-heroine, “Maeve Fly” is a brutal roller coaster ride with all the trappings of a horror cult classic.
The Lost Journals of Sacajewea: A Novel
Debra Magpie EarlingEarling challenges the thoroughly sanitized and widely accepted narrative of Sacajawea. Here, she replaces it with one that, while painfully tragic, does justice to the young Lemhi Shoshone girl who was pivotal to the Lewis and Clark expedition. Poetic prose in a journal-entry structure, combined with historical details, brings the heart and soul of Sacajawea to life.
All-Night Pharmacy: A Novel
Ruth MadievskyWho are we without our idols? The unnamed protagonist in “All-Night Pharmacy” will do anything to impress her older sister, Debbie, including experimenting with drugs and indulging in other risky behavior. When Debbie goes missing after an altercation, the narrator finally has a chance to discover who she really is, aided by a mystical new girlfriend. Madievsky’s skills as a poet shine in her debut novel, which is rich in imagery and feverish tension.
Rivermouth: A Chronicle of Language, Faith, and Migration
Alejandra OlivaCalled “required reading” by Publishers Weekly, Oliva’s affecting memoir-in-essays chronicles her work as a translator for migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Witnessing firsthand how America’s detention centers and immigration policies strip the hungry, terrified, and hopeless of their dignity, Oliva presses for empathy and a more humane future. This is fuel not only for righteous anger but also for immediate action.
Time's Mouth
Edan LepuckiUrsa flees an unhappy home in Connecticut, landing in a commune in California where her ability to time travel through memories positions her as a cult leader. As the decades pass, Ursa’s gift, along with her family trauma and penchant for running away, are passed down through generations. “Time’s Mouth” is a story of parenthood and painful legacies, especially the ones we can’t seem to escape.
The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
Loren GrushGrush shines the spotlight on the six women who shattered the glass ceiling blocking access to the stars and ultimately made way for future female astronauts. As the first American woman in space, Sally Ride changed the world. Now, thanks to Grush, the barriers and successes of Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon are being brought to the forefront as well.
Terrace Story: A Novel
Hilary LeichterAnnie and Edward live in a small urban apartment with their baby. When Annie’s colleague, Stephanie, visits one evening, a closet in their home mysteriously transforms into a beautiful terrace. This is the premise of Leichter’s National Magazine Award–winning short story, which she expands on in this novel. Three additional stories revolving around the terrace explore love, grief, and family in time- and space-bending ways.
While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence
Meg KissingerIn her incredibly raw and moving memoir, Kissinger chronicles what it was like to grow up in a household secretly caught in the throes of alcoholism and mental illness. She expertly uses her background as an investigative reporter to connect her personal story to the ongoing mental health crisis plaguing the country. A difficult but crucial read, “While You Were Out” will inspire you to both ask for help when you need it and extend a helping hand to loved ones who are struggling.
EVERYTHING/NOTHING/SOMEONE: A Memoir
Alice CarrièreCalled “spellbinding” by both Kirkus and author Jennette McCurdy (“I’m Glad My Mom Died”), Carrière’s memoir chronicles a chaotic upbringing as the daughter of two troubled creatives. Exploring mental illness, self-harm, and ultimately recovery, “Everything/Nothing/Something” is emotionally complex and packed with resilience.
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year
Margaret RenklRenkl (“Late Migrations”) invites readers to really examine the oft-overlooked delights in nature. With a mixture of joy, wonder, sorrow, and reverence, she devotes one bite-sized essay per week of the year to the flora and fauna that call her backyard home. Insightful and gorgeous poetry-like prose not only pays homage to the beauty of the natural world, but also calls on each of us to reflect on what we owe to the earth as its stewards.