Our Most Anticipated New Book Releases of January 2022

This is a bold and exciting novel. It is the sound of America having a nervous breakdown. We found ourselves reading and re-reading passages because they were too good to only read once. 2022 Fiction starts off here on a great foot.

Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life remains a customer favorite and OUR favorite since its release in 2015. In fact, we see it moving faster NOW than ever before. It’s a modern classic, and we are so happy to share Yanagihara’s latest with you — To Paradise. The writing will make your heart ache and head spin, as all modern classics are wont to do.

Pulling from her own personal experience in the high-pressure venues of New York City, author Xochitl Gonzalez tackles elitism, racism, and the pitfalls of ambition with a startlingly personal brushstroke. Family drama, politics, long-buried secrets, and romance are all present and accounted for in this must-read debut that follows wedding planner Olga and her search for her own fairytale ending. Set in the months surrounding the most destructive hurricane in Puerto Rico’s history, Olga Dies Dreaming ultimately explores the reality (and the struggle) of the American dream.

Isabel Allende. We’re sure those two names put together will make your literary heart beat faster. Allende is epic. Her work to be cherished. Simply put, we love her novels. The Violeta Spanish Edition will also be available this month, and be sure to catch Isabel Allende on Poured Over: The B&N Podcast.

We’ve been waiting for a new novel from Weike Wang since her 2018 debut, Chemistry. The immediacy of a doctor in crisis had us riveted from the start. We turned the pages quickly as we read about Joan’s journey. Joan herself may be “OKAY”. This novel is spot on.

Trouble can take many forms, and in this case, trouble, or “wahala,” takes the form of a new, hideously wealthy friend Isobel who inserts herself into the lives of inseparable London trio Ronke, Simi and Boo. The fallout from the subsequent changes in each friend’s life is both endlessly entertaining and thoroughly thought-provoking. A character-driven thriller perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Wahala is taut with feeling and heartbreak. It is without a doubt an unputdownable, page-turning novel.

A modern retelling of the immortal and dark Daphne and Apollo myth, The Latinist explores the pitfalls of extreme ambition, passionate desire, and dangerous obsession. With a moody backdrop of Oxford academia and a propulsive mystery threaded throughout, the story follows Tessa and the complicated relationship she has with her charismatic and enigmatic classics professor Chris … a relationship that builds to an explosive conclusion. A debut that reads as if it is from a well-seasoned author and an undeniably twisty way to start off your year’s reading list.

Dear Elizabeth George: It has been too long since we spent any time with Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers and Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley. (Since The Punishment She Deserves in 2018 to be exact.) Yes. Welcome back. We missed you. Love, Your Loyal Fans.

When You Are Mine introduces us to a new character in Michael Robotham’s oeuvre, Philomena McCarthy. His prior novel, When She Was Good was a Barnes & Noble Monthly Pick for Mystery & Thriller. We said this before and we’ll say it again, Robotham elevates the police procedural to a whole other level. Characters don’t always reveal their true nature quickly in a Robotham novel. And that’s what we love: on our toes the whole suspenseful way.

T. Jefferson Parker has been a favorite of ours since his Charlie Hood series. Here, Parker takes us to a land and time as trippy as the gorgeous cover — Southern California in 1968. As Timothy Leary once said, “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” We’ve got one more thing to add here: Read this book and dig it!

If you’ve already read last year’s Neon Gods by Katee Robert, you are in on the delicious start to the Dark Olympus trilogy. And if you haven’t, then you are LUCKY in that there are now TWO books ready for reading pleasure. Go ahead, start with Electric Idol. Honestly, you’ll be happy, and then you can easily read Neon Gods while waiting for the third book, Wicked Beauty, in June. We love trilogies in romance as it keeps the story and world within alive.

Diana Giovinazzo’s Antoinette’s Sister is a beautiful and captivating novel that suggests the work of Philippa Gregory. Novels about women forgotten by history spark our interest and imagination. Intrigue, adventure and romance is a great way to start off your new year and reading list! “A sweeping tale of power, love, and the bonds of family, Antoinette’s Sister is a compelling coming-of-age story set to the backdrop of one of the most volatile periods in Europe. Giovinazzo has deftly weaved fascinating and rich details through the narrative, and in Maria Carolina Charlotte, created an endearing yet strong protagonist who must learn the demands of a monarch to save her country from ruin. I couldn’t put it down!”—Heather Webb, author of The Next Ship Home

Of late, we are enjoying these perfect mash-ups of Historical and Rom-Com romance novels. The Siren of Sussex is win, place, and show in this combination of two popular romance genres with a mix of international flair. So much fun! “Marvelously crafted, Evelyn and Ahmad’s world is ripe with nuanced social perceptions and characters that winnow heart-deep. At times passionately intelligent and achingly vulnerable, The Siren of Sussex is destined to dazzle readers of Evie Dunmore and Harper St. George.”—Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code

This captivating fantasy seamlessly weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic. Inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, this debut is the first in a romantic duology. With its lush world-building, strong female protagonist, and vivid characters, this tale of love, sacrifice, and honor is already topping all the fantasy must-read lists.

From thrill-seeker and bestselling author James Rollins comes The Starless Crown, the first action-packed adventure in a new series. An unlikely group must team up to save their world and learn to trust each other if they want to survive. Perfect for fans of other James Rollins books, The Awakening, House of Earth and Blood and To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.