Four New Novels to Check Out This Month
A debut, thriller, and coming-of-age story walk into a bar and...
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the new year just coming right back around to remind us to set some fresh goals ::grumbles into coffee:: Over the course of many years, I’ve discovered that you’re most successful when you anticipate failure — in a healthy, non-crippling anxiety sort of way. Case in point: Though I read 65 books last year, my 2024 Goodreads goal is set for a measly 55 books. Why? Shit happens and frankly, no one needs yet one more arbitrary metric to reinforce any questionable self-confidence they might have brewing.
And while I fully support those who have decided to skip declaring any reading goals this year — especially after all that Goodreads drama — there are some titles getting pubbed this month that are worth checking out, whenever you get around to it.
Below, some promising soon-to-be-released novels. HNY!
4 New Novels Getting Pubbed This Month
“Sugar, Baby” - Celine Saintclaire
Read this one if you’re looking for a new take on an old trope. Loosely, it follows 21-year-old Agnes who finds herself living with sugar babies. And while they might share the same address, there’s very little, she uncovers, they have in common. There’s money, there’s some scandal, and some saucy scenes that’ll have you cruising through the chapters faster than you can say, “Goodreads, who?”.
Available now
“Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge” - Lizzie Pook
Whether you’re living somewhere that’s getting walloped with snow or simply adore cozy mysteries, this novel blends historical fiction and mystery for a successful result: a page-turning thriller that’s as twisty as it is captivating. Meet Maude, who’s desperate to find her sister, Constance, who's gone missing after dressing like a man to board a ship to the Arctic Circle. Phew. Set in Victorian London, there’s secrets found in diaries, gloomy whispers, and dripping discoveries that’ll have you reading by the fire well into the early hours.
Available January 16
“Come and Get It” - Kiley Reid
The follow-up to “Such a Fun Age,” Reid is back at it again, this time with a low-key dark(ish) academia take on power dynamics in college settings. University of Arkansas senior resident, Millie Cousins, is eager to up-level her life. When offered a ~ unique ~ opportunity by a professor, Millie jumps at the chance only to have it thwarted by frenemies and strange coincidences. This novel explores the ideas of excess, class, and liberation told by a master storyteller.
Available January 30
“How We Named the Stars” - Andrés N. Ordorica
This debut has all the makings of a cult classic. It’s a will-they-won’t-they tale blended with coming of age that’ll transport you back to all the heart wrenching cringiness of awkward early adulthood. Daniel earns a scholarship at an elite northeast university. His roommate, Sam, helps Daniel find his footing in the new environment. The two embark on a restrained relationship that’s interrupted by an unexpected event, sending Daniel to Mexico, where his ancestors are from. Here, he grapples with his place in his family and starting anew in even the most challenging of circumstances. Keep a tissue box nearby.
Available January 30