For those of us who work in the book world, it’s impossible to keep up with the sheer number of books that publish each year. And, we certainly can’t read them all. But as new release lists come out, favorite authors announce book deals, and publishers send out the next season’s catalogs, we can’t help but pick out the ones we’re most excited about.
Whether they come from auto-buy authors, boast a compelling premise, or are titles and covers we keep seeing online, the BookTrib staff has compiled a list of our most anticipated books. It was tough to pick just one! Are these ones on your TBR yet?
The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick
Nikki, a former contributor of BookTrib, took the market by storm with her debut work, The Measure, which vaulted her to stardom, the NYT bestseller list, guest appearances on national TV and more. The Poppy Fields is a high-concept speculative novel about heartache, hope, and human resilience.
It explores the path of grief and healing, a journey at once profoundly universal and unique to every person, posing the questions: How do we heal in the wake of great loss? And how far are we willing to go in order to be healed?
(Releases June 17)
The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child — narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has since dedicated his life to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?
With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.
(Releases May 13)
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Ever since On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous soared to popularity, I’ve adored poet and author Ocean Vuong’s work. His lyrical explorations of identity, belonging, family and society never cease to captivate me. I often find myself returning to his words over and over.
I’m looking forward to viewing my home state of Connecticut through Vuong’s eyes once again, in a story about unexpected connections and a young man’s second chance at life.
(Releases May 13)
The Floating World by Axie Oh
I’m a sucker for any romantic fantasy, especially when it draws on unique legends I haven’t heard of before. Axie Oh proved herself one of the best in this regard with the release of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, which is why I cannot wait for her upcoming release, The Floating World.
It follows Sunho and Ren, one an ex-soldier on the hunt for the score of a lifetime, the other a cheerful acrobat on the hunt for a cure to save her uncle. The two souls collide and grow closer on their travels — but neither realizes Ren is the one Sunho and hundreds of other sellswords are hunting. Turns out their destinies — and their pasts — are far more connected than they could have imagined. I can’t wait to snag a copy!!
(Releases April 29)
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Described as “Dante’s Inferno meets Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi,” R.F. Kuang’s upcoming release promises an adventure in its name alone; katabasis, the Greek word for a hero’s descent into the Underworld. And that’s exactly where Cambridge graduate student Alice Law must go when her Magick professor dies in a freak accident — because she needs that letter of recommendation, damnit! Along for the journey is her bitter academic rival, Peter Murdoch, also in pursuit of currying favor with Professor Grimes.
The bestselling author of Babel, Yellowface and the Poppy War series, Kuang is undoubtedly going to take us on a heart-pounding journey through Hell itself, with a searing examination of the cutthroat world of academia along the way.
(Releases August 26)
Tart: Misadventures of an Anonymous Chef by Slutty Cheff
Tart is written by none other than British Vogue columnist Slutty Cheff. A personal account of her life’s experiences in the Michelin-starred world of London’s kitchens, and the zest for the vices that fill the hours outside of them. I immediately preordered her book as soon as it was announced this past November. After devouring and savoring her articles and intimate Instagram captions, I have developed an appetite for her words that I’m certain can only be satisfied by her long-form debut.
(Releases August 5)
Cher: The Memoir, Part Two by Cher
Part One of Cher’s memoir came out this past November and covers her chaotic childhood, meeting and marrying Sonny Bono, and the Sonny & Cher years including their highly complicated relationship that made them famous but also eventually drove them apart. Now Part Two is due out this November and picks up where Part One left off (with Francis Ford Coppola encouraging Cher to pursue a movie career).
Part Two covers her Oscar win for Moonstruck, the 80s rock era, Sonny’s death, and her son Chaz’s transition, among other topics. Memoirs aren’t usually done in 2 parts, but this is Cher after all. Her life deserves it!
(Releases November 5)
Alchemised by SenLinYu
This dark fantasy debut follows Helena Marino, a former alchemist with missing memories, as she navigates survival in a war-ravaged world dominated by necromancers and corrupt guild families. Once a healer for the Resistance, Helena is now a prisoner, her abilities suppressed and her allies dead. Her captors suspect her missing memories may hold crucial secrets about the Resistance’s final plans.
Helena is sent to the High Reeve, a powerful necromancer, to uncover her lost past. Trapped in his crumbling estate, she struggles to protect her mind and uncover the truth. As layers of secrets unfold, Helena must confront the cost of reclaiming her identity in a world where survival demands sacrifice.
(Releases September 30)
The Harder I Fight the More I Love You: A Memoir by Neko Case
When I talk about books with friends, family, and colleagues, Gold Dust Woman by Stephen Davis always comes up. This biography of Stevie Nicks is a must-read. There’s something thrilling about diving into celebrity memoirs and biographies as a fan — it makes you feel more connected, and opens you up to more parts of their world the spotlight doesn’t show. So, when I heard that singer-songwriter Neko Case was releasing a memoir, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. The Harder I Fight the More I Love You is described as an “unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary life,” told in Case’s own words. As a fan of her music, lyricism, and storytelling, I can’t wait to read this “rebellious meditation on identity and corruption.”
(Releases January 28)
