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 ten of the buzziest books coming out this January—no matter what genre you’re interested in. If you were approved for any of these books on NetGalley, you can read them directly in your NetGalley Shelf app. Don’t forget to leave a review!
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Jessamine Chan’s speculative debut explores motherhood through the lens of a woman whose parenting skills are quite literally put to the test. Frida Liu’s 18-month-old daughter Harriet is taken from her after the state learns of her being left alone for two hours while Frida worked. Frida is sent to a rehab program for mothers where she’s told she must improve by mothering a surrogate child or risk losing Harriet forever.
Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
Anita Kelly’s romantic comedy debut features two contestants finding love on a reality cooking show. London Parker is focused on winning Chef’s Special, representing their community as the show’s first openly nonbinary contestant, and not getting distracted by their accident-prone competitor, Dahlia Woodson. But as the days of filming go on, London and Dahlia find themselves drawn together and wondering if the spark they feel in the kitchen is the start of something real.
Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier
Eliza Jane Brazier’s psychological thriller transports readers to the Hollywood Hills where Lyla and Graham, a wealthy and bored couple, plot and enact ruination upon those unlucky enough to stay in their guest home. But the tables are turned when it turns out their latest guest is hiding a secret of her own—Demi Golding isn’t a tech prodigy, she simply stole one’s identity. This is ideal for readers looking to kick off the year with twists, turns, and nail-biting suspense.
Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne
Mahogany L. Browne blends verse and prose to tell the story of a young Black girl finding her way in this YA novel. Angel left California after an incident with her boyfriend, and though she hasn’t told anyone in her new Brooklyn neighborhood what happened, she can’t stop feeling as though everyone knows. But once she’s in Ms. G’s class, Angel starts to feel more at home and discovers reflections of her own life in the works of authors like Toni Morrison and Jason Reynolds.
The Unfamiliar Garden by Benjamin Percy
Fans of science fiction and a good mystery will find a lot to love in Benjamin Percy’s latest. Five years ago, on the same day the comet Cain caused a meteor shower, mycologist Jack took his 8-year-old daughter Mia into the forest outside of Seattle to hunt for mushrooms and she disappeared without a trace. The meteors’ impact on the planet becomes clear in the years after Mia’s disappearance, including a new plague that seems to have sparked from a fungus. This is the second in the Comet Cycle series, but new readers can easily read it as a standalone.
Yonder by Jabari Asim
Jabari Asim’s upcoming novel has been earning both five-star raves from NetGalley members and starred trade reviews. Set in the mid-19th century on a Southern plantation, the book is narrated by the enslaved people of Placid Hall, who call themselves the Stolen: teenage Zander, who dreams of flying; William, who loves Margaret and finds faith in action; and Cato, who is grieving the loss of the woman he loved. When a visiting minister begins to talk of independence, the group must decide if they’re ready to risk everything to chase it.
Electric Idol by Katee Robert
Need something steamy to combat the January chill? Look no further than Katee Robert’s second Dark Olympus romance. Social media influencer Psyche Dimitriou carefully curates the parts of her life that are shared with the public, but when the paparazzi catch her in a private moment with the son of a family rival, it puts her in more danger than she could’ve imagined. Eros works as a hired gun for his mother Aphrodite, who orders him to bring her Psyche’s heart. Instead, Eros decides to marry her.
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
Stacy Willingham’s gripping debut follows Baton Rouge psychologist Chloe Davis, who becomes fearful that history is repeating itself when local girls begin to go missing. When Chloe was 12, her father pleaded guilty to killing six teenage girls and was sent to prison for life. Still grappling with the effects his actions had on her and her family, Chloe starts to worry that she’s been discovered by a copycat killer when a teenage girl goes missing after leaving her office.
The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman
Akshaya Raman’s Indian-inspired YA fantasy duology opener follows royal siblings on the hunt for magic. Vira is still acclimating to life on the throne when Ashoka’s magical resources show signs of being completely depleted. Fearful of what the country’s enemies might do if they learned the truth, Vira sets out to find the mythical Ivory Key—even though it means venturing into dangerous territories and reuniting with her estranged siblings (including the brother accused of killing the last maharani).
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Featured on our roundup of most-anticipated 2022 releases, Sue Lynn Tan’s debut is the first in a planned duology that takes inspiration from the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e. Xingyin, the half-mortal daughter of the moon goddess, is forced to flee her home after her identity is revealed to the Celestial Emperor. Alone in the Celestial Kingdom, she begins to learn archery alongside the Crown Prince and vows to infiltrate the Celestial imperial court in order to rescue her mother from the emperor.
Which January release are you most excited for?
Daughter of the Moon Goddess is such a stunning cover!
Looking forward to A Flicker in the Dark! A good mystery book is the way I like end the old year or to start the new year!
I reads d loved “A Flicker in the Dark”, 5*
I’m listening to A Flicker n the Dark. It is a great mystery and the audio reader perfect.