It is officially 2022. Like many of you, I’m still exhausted from 2021. But, the best recipe for exhaustion is always good books. Scottish Frankenstein, tropical thrillers, hopeful environmental speculative, Chinese mythological retellings, Nigerian Sex and the City, and a Sapphic sleeping beauty meets Indiana Jones are all going to help us through this. By providing us with feelings and ruinous pining. Obviously.
Here are Seven books releasing in January to re-energize you for 2022.
When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord
January 4th from Wednesday Books
A teen girl with dreams of a broadway career searches for her birth mother. I’m really excited about this YA enemies to lovers romance between drama club geeks.
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
January 4th from St. Martin’s Press
A ‘strangers in paradise’ Adult thriller on a tropical island with dark history featuring beautiful people. Reckless Girls sounds a lot like The White Lotus.
Wahala by Nikki May
January 11th from Custom House
Wahala by Nikki May promises a book inspired by friendships between three Anglo-Nigerian women, a lethally glamorous fourth, good food, and amazing clothing. The Anglo-Nigerian inspired take on Sex and the City pitch is what originally caught my interest. I’m obsessed with complex friendships between women.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
January 11th from Harper Voyager
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan is an Adult Fantasy debut for fans of YA fantasy. Inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, it is the story of a girl that grew up on the moon, hidden from the powerful Celestial Emperor. This forbidden romance with a gentle prince, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies, archery, and a Chinese Mythological retelling has me flailing.
The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
January 11th from Razorbill
The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder is pitched as a YA sapphic Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and The Cruel Prince which obviously has me obsessed. A book treasure hunter who doesn’t believe in love meets a warrior girl who likes cracking skulls? This is going to give me the queer longing I need for 2022.
How High We Go In the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
January 18th from William Morrow
A centuries long debut, How High We Go In The Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu follows many characters as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague. This has all the fixes, from funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead and interstellar starships. What really sells me on this is that unlike most climate change/post-apocalypse books this one promises to be more hopeful over the doom and gloom.
Anatomy: a love story by Dana Schwartz
January 18th from Wednesday Books
A YA Gothic Romance following a female surgeon and a grave robber, who band together to solve a murder. Anatomy: a love story by Dana Schwartz has Scottish castles and cemeteries. This honestly sounds like a Scottish Frankenstein. I’m sold on this cadaver meets romance story.
I just started Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I’ve got high hopes!
Yeah I’ve been hearing some great things! I look forward to your thoughts.
I preordered Daughter of the Moon Goddess and excited for Anatomy: a love story! It’s going to be a great 2022 in the book community!!!
They both look so good! Right? There’s just so many interesting things happening in publishing right now.