Ahhhh, reading! That lovely feeling you get when you're curled up under a warm blanket with a book [1] that really calls to you. The great news is that 2022 has already proven to be an excellent year for new literature. There are so many titles already available and an impressive lineup scheduled for releases throughout the year, written by incredibly talented women writers. With all these options in so many different genres, it may be both exciting as well as a bit overwhelming. Should you start with fiction or nonfiction? Maybe an up-and-coming author or one of your established favourites? We know exactly where to begin.
We've handpicked 15 exciting new books to give you a little taste of some of the amazing written works out this year, while celebrating the brilliant woman authors who wrote them. It might even serve as a launching point for you to start this month's POPSUGAR Reading Challenge [2]. So carve out an hour or two in your day when you have nothing pressing to do, with no immediate deadlines or responsibilities, and spend some quality time with one of these fabulous new finds.
"Wahala"
Nikki May's debut novel is both exhilarating and hilarious! It follows three Anglo-Nigerian women in their 30s, navigating life in London. Each woman battles her own insecurities, and all three are questioning their futures. Conflicts and chaos soon ensue when a friend from the past emerges and infiltrates their close-knit group. Bold, funny, sometimes shocking, and always entertaining, "Wahala" [3] examines the complexity of female friendships at their best and worst.
"To Paradise"
From Hanya Yanagihara, author of the deeply affecting "A Little Life" [4], comes another bold and emotional masterpiece about family, love, and loss. "To Paradise" [5] immerses the reader into the lives of three very different characters in a captivating tale that spans three centuries. The story is layered, multifaceted, and utterly beautiful. Yanagihara is a true talent.
"Notes on an Execution"
Author Danya Kukafka introduces us to Ansel Parker, a brutal serial killer on death row. In this haunting novel, rather than focusing on the mind and psyche of a killer, the classic narrative is turned on its head. We instead focus on the lives of the women who played a role in his life. We see Lavender, Hazel, and Saffy (his mother, his sister-in-law, and a detective), who are all struggling in their own way and whose lives were affected by his actions. "Notes on an Execution" [6] draws you into their world and challenges you to question your understanding of human nature, empathy, and the criminal-justice system.
"People Person"
Candice Carty-Williams, the author of the bestselling "Queenie" [7], delights us with her second novel, "People Person" [8]. The story focuses on Dimple Pennington, whose life is disrupted when a crisis brings her together with her four estranged half-siblings and she's forced to reconnect with her splintered family.
"People Person" will be released in April.
"The Dance Tree"
"The Dance Tree" [9] is set in Strasbourg in 1518 in an era of superstition. Hundreds of women begin to dance for days on end in the sweltering-hot summer sun because there's an outbreak of a bizarre dancing plague. With family secrets, forbidden love, and mysterious crimes, "The Dance Tree" is both captivating and utterly thrilling.
"The Dance Tree" will be released in May.
"The Leviathan"
Rosie Andrews's debut novel brings you a tale of family and superstition. Set in Norfolk in the 1600s, soldier Thomas Treadwater is called home to investigate a family matter. He instead discovers mystery, ancient secrets, and witchcraft. With its richly descriptive atmospheric background, "The Leviathan" [10] is an evocative, gothic historical fiction that's sure to delight.
"These Bodies of Water"
Sabrina Mahfouz explores the historical dominance of the British Empire in the Middle East and relates it to the reader in her beautifully poetic style. She expertly connects the events of the past with some of her own experiences, linking history, politics, and poetry in a truly unique way. "These Bodies of Water" [11] reads as a thought-provoking history as well as a deeply personal and moving memoir.
"These Bodies of Water" will be released in May.
"Pandora"
In her debut novel, Susan Stokes-Chapman has brought us this captivating historical fiction, immersing the reader in the rich setting of Georgian London. When a mysterious Greek vase appears in an antique shop, the lives of a young artisan and an antiquarian scholar become irrevocably entwined. With romance, adventure, Greek mythology, and family rivalry, "Pandora" [12] is sure to captivate.
"Love Marriage"
From Monica Ali, the bestselling author of "Brick Lane" [13], comes the moving story of a couple about to embark on a cross-cultural marriage. Both Yasmin and Joe must confront the assumptions they held about their families and contend with family tensions, complexities, and contradictions while trying to understand each other and make this "love marriage [14]" work.
"Girl Crush"
Florence Given delves into the fraught world of social media and modern womanhood in her debut novel, "Girl Crush" [15]. The story follows Eartha, who becomes a viral social media sensation while at the same time living her life as an openly bisexual woman. There's a widening divide between her online and offline self, and Eartha is forced to confront her traumas.
"Girl Crush" will be released in August.
"The Flames"
Sophie Haydock's debut novel, "The Flames" [16], is truly captivating. It delves into the lives of four muses of the charming yet controversial Austrian artist Egon Schiele. Set in bohemian Vienna in the 1900s, we follow Adele, Gertrude, Vally, and Edith and watch as their lives intertwine as they inspire brilliant paintings — that are noted for their raw sexuality.
"Sex Bomb"
Sadia Azmat is a proud British-Indian Muslim. She is an outspoken comedian, wears a hijab, is a sister and a friend, and is a "very horny woman". In this witty, hilarious memoir, we see Sadia as she navigates relationships and embraces herself and her sexual identity. As honest as it is entertaining, "Sex Bomb" [17] is a truly life-affirming read.
"Sex Bomb" will be released in May.
"Sea of Tranquility"
Emily St. John Mandel, the bestselling author of "Station Eleven" [18] and "The Glass Hotel" [19], is back with a captivating story that takes the reader across space and time. "Sea of Tranquility" [20] follows three characters with lives that cross the centuries. It's packed with imagery of the lush forests of Vancouver, the artificial beauty of the moon colonies, and the natural beauty of the North American wilderness. This compelling work draws on physics and science fiction and is brimming with thought-provoking theories.
"Sea of Tranquility" will be released in April.
"Black Cake"
This affecting debut novel, "Black Cake" [21], follows estranged siblings Byron and Benny as they are brought together in the face of their mother's death. She leaves behind an interesting inheritance involving her traditional Caribbean black cake that has left them completely bewildered. Family secrets are revealed, and the siblings are left to examine their lineage while they are transported across generations and the globe.
"Easy Beauty"
Chloe Cooper Jones's compelling memoir, "Easy Beauty" [22], gives a bold account of navigating the world in a body that looks and functions differently. Born with a rare congenital condition that affects her gait and has left her in chronic pain, she battles the exclusionary nature of society while examining her own limitations and reflecting on mainstream beauty standards.
"Easy Beauty" will be released in April.