Look no further for your next read. The amount of great new books hitting shelves each month can be overwhelming but we’ve rounded up twelve of the buzziest books coming out this March—no matter what genre you’re interested in. Have you read any of these new releases? If not, you’ll want them on your TBR!
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
N.K. Jemisin, the first writer to ever win the Hugo Award for Best Novel three years in a row, is back this month with the start of a new trilogy. The City We Became is an urban fantasy novel set in New York City. The city is coming to life and becoming sentient—a process that requires a human avatar to protect it during this vulnerable time from enemies who would destroy it. With NYC’s avatar in a coma, five others step forward (one from each of the city’s boroughs). Together, they have the power to awaken the avatar and defeat the alien hell-bent on attacking their home. But first, they have to find each other.
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai’s debut novel is a multigenerational tale that chronicles a century of Trần family history through the eyes of a granddaughter and her grandmother living in Vietnam. After her mother left to search for her missing father, 12-year-old Hương moved in with her grandmother, Diệu Lan. As the war between the Americans and the Vietnamese moves closer to home, bombings forced them to evacuate to the mountains, where Diệu Lan begins to share parts of their family history with her granddaughter.
A Phoenix First Must Burn edited by Patrice Caldwell
This cover alone has us starry-eyed. Sci-fi and fantasy readers have been eagerly awaiting this YA collection edited by Patrice Caldwell. The book features 16 of the genre’s most talented authors, gathered together to tell stories of Black girls and gender-nonconforming characters. Within its pages, readers will find explorations of topics such as colorism, sexuality, and mental health set in faraway galaxies, fantasy lands, and more. The collection includes stories from Elizabeth Acevedo, Amerie, Dhonielle Clayton, J. Marcelle Corrie, Somaiya Daud, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Justina Ireland, Danny Lore, L.L. McKinney, Danielle Paige, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karen Strong, Ashley Woodfolk, and Ibi Zoboi.
Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
Readers love a good book recommendation list, so when Malcolm Kershaw was first hired to work at Old Devils Bookstore, he used the store’s blog to share a list of eight mysteries with murders that are nearly impossible to solve. Years later, and now the owner of the store, Mal is contacted by the FBI. Agent Gwen Mulvey is investigating multiple murder cases, and they all seem to mirror the ones on the list he created. With three starred trade reviews, this whodunit is one of this month’s buzziest novels.
American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera
Adriana Herrera’s beloved Dreamers series comes to a close this month with the fourth and final installment. Childhood friends Juan Pablo Campos and Priscilla Gutierrez feel sparks fly on a trip to the Dominican Republic. There’s been chemistry between them since they were teenagers, but after repeated failed attempts at making a relationship work, they’d almost given up hope of living happily ever after. When a wedding between mutual friends brings Juan Pablo and Priscilla back together, this physical therapist and New York City police detective decide to give each other another chance.
The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
I have been counting down the days until Marie Rutkoski’s next YA fantasy hits shelves. The first in a duology, The Midnight Lie is set in the same world as the Winner’s Curse trilogy and takes place roughly 20 years after. Nirrim lives in the Ward, a district governed by harsh rules. Fearing punishment, Nirrim does all she can to keep her head down to avoid revealing to anyone that she has something to hide. But when she meets Sid, she can’t help but feel drawn to the other girl. Sid, a traveler who speaks of a higher caste that wields magic, is trouble—Nirrim is sure of that. But she still finds herself willing to risk everything to be with her.
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
In her latest novel, National Book Award-winner Louise Erdrich draws inspiration from the life of her grandfather, the chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in the 1950s. Set in rural North Dakota, the novel follows 19-year-old Pixie Paranteau and her uncle Thomas Wazhashk, the night watchman at the jewel bearing plant where she works. Throughout the novel, Pixie decides to leave the Turtle Mountain Reservation to find her missing sister, while Thomas fights against the politicians who are threatening to break treaties held between the Native Americans and the federal government.
Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen
This suspenseful debut follows two women as they work to uncover the mystery behind strange disappearances in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Boardwalk psychic Clara begins having frightening visions after meeting with a man searching for his missing niece. Two Jane Does were recently killed, and Clara fears her visions indicate more to come. After connecting with Lily, who recently moved back from New York and is still grieving for her late father, the two women begin to work together to find Peaches, a sex worker who disappeared after a troubling reading with Clara.
When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk
Ashley Woodfolk’s young adult novel explores the turmoil one girl goes through after she stops speaking with her best friend. In a narrative that jumps between the past and the present, Cleo traces her split with Layla to the beginning of sophomore year when Layla joined the school chorus. The two haven’t spoken in over a month, and with her parents on the verge of divorce, Cleo needs a friend now more than ever. When she’s tasked with tutoring Layla, is it a chance to reunite or time to admit they’ve drifted too far apart?
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
Nghi Vo’s fantasy novella debut transports readers to a land inspired by imperial China. Chih is on a mission to complete historical records for their abbey by traveling to the home where the Empress of Salt and Fortune was exiled. Along the way, they meet an older woman named Rabbit, a former handmaiden who knew Empress In-Yo when she was still just a northern royal seeking a political marriage. As court outsiders, the two formed a tight bond and Rabbit is able to shed new light on what really happened to the Empress at court.
Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Lyssa Kay Adams stole our hearts with her 2019 romance The Bromance Book Club, and now she’s back with another love story (and fab cover). Nightclub entrepreneur Braden Mack is furious when he hears that his friend’s sister-in-law Liv was fired from her job as a sous chef for trying to confront her boss Royce about his harassment of a hostess in their restaurant. When Liv decides she wants to expose Royce, Mack steps up to help her, with some added assistance from the bromance book club and the romantic suspense novel they’re currently reading.
Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry
A year after 17-year-old Ana Torres died, her three younger sisters begin to believe that she’s haunting them. In this young adult novel, chapters alternate between the three sisters and neighbors, slowly revealing what happened on the night Ana died and the way each member of the family is coping with the loss. Their father Rafe, a controlling widower, loses himself to grief; Jessica begins dating Ana’s abusive boyfriend; Iridian finds herself drawn to the fictional worlds found in Ana’s books; Rosa turns to her faith. As strange and unexplained occurrences begin happening in the Torres home, the sisters wonder if Ana is attempting to send them a message.
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