9 Books to Look Forward to in 2023
I cannot wait for 2023 books. Whether you’re looking to discover new authors or eagerly awaiting the latest novels from your favorites, 2023 is shaping up to be quite the year for literature. (And, shameless plug: My own debut novel, “Lucky Stiff,” is due out on Jan. 1.)
There are countless books forthcoming in every genre from publishers large and small, so clear some space on your tablet or on your TBR shelf. Here are nine books that we can’t wait to dig into next year. Happy reading!
Geeta’s husband walked out of their remote Indian village five years ago, and good riddance to him. But there’s one thing she hasn’t been able to get rid of: the rumor that she killed him. Having the reputation of an alleged murderer isn’t all that bad, Geeta finds. She’s more or less left alone, and it’s even been good for her jewelry business. But there are other women curious about how they, too, can become “self-made” widows — and some are more than just curious. When something happens to set off a chain reaction that changes everything for Geeta as well as her fellow village women, she must figure out how to defend herself and the independent life she has created.
Whether you know him now as the man who left the royal family for the love of his life or you remember the tragic little prince mourning the death of his mother, Princess Diana, you’ll want to read Prince Harry’s story, in his own words.
Aretha is a single Black lawyer who has largely been focused on success, especially in the aftermath of her parents’ death. That is, until she meets Aaron, a coffee entrepreneur. She moves into his brownstone in Brooklyn, which he shares with roommates obsessed with stockpiling guns and other resources for a doomsday they believe is rapidly approaching. Aretha’s ambition is altered by her new life in this underground world. Cauley poses some tough questions about what it takes to survive in this debut novel, which is a masterful blend of wit and dark humor.
Louise’s parents have died, but she’s not ready to go back home to Charleston to deal with it. Aside from struggling with the pain of their loss, she’s not eager to leave her daughter to her ex’s supervision, and she’s not excited to see her brother, Mark, who can’t keep a job and is resentful of Louise’s own successful career. Then there’s the issue of selling their parents’ home, filled with memories of her father’s career as an academic — and her mother’s extensive collection of puppets and dolls. Louise and Mark will have to find a way to work together to sell the house, but as it turns out, this property has its own plans for the future. This newest novel from the author of “The Final Girl Support Group” is both poignant and horrifying.
Lloyd lost her father when she was only 15. It wasn’t until years later, though, when she created the Griefcast podcast, that she felt comfortable discussing her pain. This book, inspired by the podcast, is a moving, funny, and relatable continuation of Lloyd’s journey in grief.
Nareh Bedrossian is an Armenian-American woman living in San Francisco. When her boyfriend — who is not Armenian — proposes to her in front of an audience of drunken tech dudes, she realizes it’s time to find someone new. With the encouragement of her overbearing mother, Nareh checks out an event series in the city called Explore Armenia. Instead of finding a new man, Nareh finds a woman named Erebuni, who becomes her sidekick for attending the events. Through their growing connection, Nareh learns more about her Armenian culture, but also about herself: a woman who has not yet come out as a bisexual. As the closing banquet of Explore Armenia approaches, Erebuni — along with Nareh’s whole family — is set to attend. It’s time for Nareh to show her pride in who she is, both as an Armenian and as a human.
Bodie Kane has found success as a film professor and podcaster. But it hasn’t been easy, with an upbringing darkened by misery and tragedy, including the 1995 murder of a classmate, Thalia Keith. The school’s athletic trainer was convicted and, despite online sleuths who couldn’t let it go, Bodie herself has moved on. Or has she? When she’s invited back to her New Hampshire boarding school to teach a class, she’s sucked back into the murder case that is showing its cracks. Did the trainer really kill Thalia? If not, who did? Does Bodie herself know more than she thought she did at the time? This new novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author is a riveting mystery, both in regard to the murder case and Bodie’s quest to confront her past.
William’s upbringing has been marred by family tragedy, and a college basketball scholarship is the escape he’s been waiting for most of his life. When he meets Julia, a bright young woman devoted to her family, he gets swept up into a new world for him: a loving family dynamic. But when William’s past comes back to haunt him, everyone’s loyalty will be put to the test, and lives will be forever changed.
It’s 1989, and Beatrice and Henrietta Volt are sisters growing up on remote Fowler Island. They are about to learn that their parents are separating — and they, too, will become separated. A decade later, their father dies suddenly. Henrietta gets the call from Beatrice to come back to Fowler Island for the funeral. However, Henrietta isn’t ready to return home, and her reluctance sets off a flurry of thinking: Why can’t she remember what happened the night she left home? What about the rumors of missing women from the island? Why does the pond near their home scare her? In Moulton’s sophomore novel (check out her debut, “Tinfoil Butterly,” as well), she’s created a rich and terrifying story about the monsters one dreams about and those that have the power to turn real life into a nightmare.