20 January Releases We're Excited About

And What You Can Read in the Meantime

Reading Ahead

No matter how jam packed our TBR shelves get, we never stop browsing (and buying!) new books. From sparkling debuts (eleven!) to globe-trotting thrillers to just-in-time-for-Valentine's-Day romances, January’s most anticipated list is littered with must-reads! Here are twenty upcoming releases across a diverse mix of genres. These are available for preorder, but in the meantime, enjoy our recommendations for similar reads that you can get now.

Contemporary Fiction

Small World by Laura Zigman (Jan. 10)

When two offbeat and newly divorced sisters move in together, it tests their relationship as new revelations from their family's history come to light. With wry humor and keen sensitivity, this story of sisterhood and hope reminds us that sometimes we need to look back in order to move ahead.

What to read first: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

The Dream Builders by Oindrila Mukherjee (Jan. 10)

After years in the US, Maneka Roy returns to India to mourn the loss of her mother and finds herself in a new world. The booming city where her father now lives is nothing like the India she remembers. This incisive debut novel explores class divisions and gender roles within a changing society.

What to read first: Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

The Fraud Squad by Kyla Zhao (Jan. 17)

For as long as she can remember, Samantha has dreamed of writing for one of Singapore's high-society magazines, but her low social status makes this feel like a distant fantasy. That is, until she meets Tim and Anya. This propulsive debut is the story of a young working-class woman who takes big risks to fulfill her dreams.

What to read first: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Maame by Jessica George (Jan. 31)

As the caretaker for her father who has Parkinson's, 25-year-old British Ghanaian Maddie feels stuck. A nightmare boss and an absent, yet overbearing, mother add to her woes. So she leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. But it's not long before tragedy strikes. Another impressive debut!

What to read first: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Mystery/Thriller/Horror

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (Jan. 3)

The false rumors that Geeta killed her husband turn out to be surprisingly useful—until other women in her Indian village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands. With her reputation becoming a double-edged sword, Geeta comes up with a risky plan to protect the life she's built.

What to read first: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor (Jan. 3)

Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, this binge-worthy novel transports readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi. It's an intoxicatingly dark drama of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance, and the consequences of corruption.

What to read first: Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham (Jan. 10)

In the year since Isabelle's toddler son was kidnapped, she hasn't been able to sleep. Her entire existence revolves around finding him. In desperation, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster. But his interest in her past brings up unsettling memories from Isabelle's own childhood.

What to read first: The Push by Ashley Audrain

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (Jan. 17)

When Louise finds out her parents have died, she begrudgingly returns to Charleston to deal with her childhood home. Together, she and her troubled resentful brother, Mark, work to clear out a lifetime of memories and get the place on the market. But some houses don't want to be sold.

What to read first: The Good House by Tananarive Due

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black (Jan. 3)

A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both. Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. Return to the opulent world of Elfhame this first book of a captivating new duology.

What to read first: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo (Jan. 10)

Alex Stern is back and the Ivy League is going straight to hell in the sequel to Ninth House. Galaxy "Alex" Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory—no matter the cost. Forbidden by the powers that be from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes assemble a team of dubious allies.

What to read first: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai (Jan. 10)

The first book in a new duology set in a magical world inspired by Egypt. Nehal is a spoiled aristocrat used to getting what she wants while Giorgina is a poor bookshop owner used to having nothing. But they find something in common as they join forces to fight for the rights of women using forbidden magic.

What to read first: She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges (Jan. 24)

From her attic in Arizona, thirty-four-year-old Myra Malone blogs about a mysterious dollhouse mansion that captivates thousands of readers. Across the country, Alex Rakes is shocked when he sees pictures of the dollhouse and recognizes a reflection of his own life mirrored back to him in minute scale.

What to read first: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Historical Fiction

The Night Travelers by Armando Lucas Correa (Jan. 10)

Berlin, 1931: A young mother makes the heartbreaking choice to safeguard her mixed-race daughter by sending her away. This sweeping novel traces the paths of four generations of extraordinary women from the rise of Nazism to the Cuban Revolution and finally, the fall of the Berlin Wall.

What to read first: The Daughter's Tale by Armando Lucas Correa

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis (Jan. 31)

The first in a breathless YA series set in 1910 Chicago about a wealthy Black family living in a changing United States has drawn favorable comparisons to Bridgerton. The novel presents the tale of four determined and passionate young Black women discovering the courage to steer their own path in life—and love.

What to read first: The Luxe by Anna Godberson

River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer (Jan. 31)

Barbados, 1834: The master of the Providence plantation gathers his slaves and announces the king has decreed an end to slavery. The cries of joy fall silent when he adds that now, as his apprentices, they must serve him for another six years. So Rachel runs, embarking on a desperate search to find her children.

What to read first: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Romance

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim (Jan. 3)

To All the Boys I've Loved Before meets Pride and Prejudice in this delightful and heartfelt YA rom-com about a Bangladeshi American teen whose meddling mother arranges a match to secure their family's financial security—just as she's falling in love with someone else.

What to read first: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert (Jan. 3)

When quirky content creator Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find her ex-best friend, Brad, by her side. Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, the two teens find themselves trudging, together, through the mud and dirt (not to mention their messy past).

What to read first: Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen (Jan. 10)

Olivia is excited-slash-terrified to be taking over her grandmother's matchmaking business. But when she learns about a new dating app that could destroy her family's legacy, she becomes furious-slash-outraged. The focus of her anger: The man behind the app, L.A.'s most-eligible bachelor.

What to read first: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn (Jan. 24)

When upheaval sends personal assistant Georgie back to her hometown, she confronts an uncomfortable truth: she has lost sight of her own desires. But then she comes across an old diary, filled with possibilities she once imagined and an unexpected figure emerges to help her explore her life "wishlist."

What to read first: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

Make a Wish by Helena Hunting (Jan. 24)

Harley thinks she's totally over the embarrassment of nearly kissing the widowed father of the toddler she nannied for seven years ago. But when Gavin and his adorable now nine-year-old daughter, Peyton, suddenly reappear in her life, she realizes that may not be true after all.

What to read first: When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

Hopefully there's something here that catches your interest! Let us know which new books you're most excited about this month.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon