16 of the Best New Books to Look Forward to in 2023

Fresh from his Netflix docuseries, Prince Harry is set to release his memoir in January, offering readers an earnest look into his life as part of the monarchy in "Spare." The death of his mother, Princess Diana, was a devastating world event, but it was a moment of immense loss for Harry. Opening up about that vulnerable period in his life and its long-lasting effects on him and his family, Prince Harry gives readers a look into the life of a royal, including navigating overwhelming media presence, immense grief under the limelight, and learning to love after loss. In a rare and intimate peek behind the curtain, Prince Harry highlights his extraordinary upbringing and how it shaped his character today.

Spare by Prince Harry is out on 10 Jan. (£14)

Start 2023 off strong, with a witchy story unlike any you've previously read. Scottish novelist Kirsty Logan is known for her bewitching and often chilling tales, such as 2019's "Things We Say in the Dark" collection of stories and 2018's "The Gloaming". In her latest release, "Now She Is Witch", we follow the dual perspectives of Lux and Else, two women who have experienced great loss, yet are united in their aim to seek revenge against a man who has wronged them. Set in the shadowy and snowy winter woods, this is a world in which women have to grasp at power through any means necessary via witchcraft, a dash of poison, and their own sexuality. Let's just say, neither of these females should be underestimated.

Now See is Witch by Kirsty Logan is out on 12 Jan. (£13.15)

For those looking for a romantic read in time for Valentine's Day, Fallon Ballard returns with her second rom-com, "Just My Type". When a dating and relationship columnist, who bounces from one long-term relationship to another, finds herself single, she ends up being tasked with a new assignment to see who will run the column going forward. It just so happens that the person she's competing against is a fellow journalist — and her high school ex. And as you might be able to imagine, it won't just be their jobs on the line, but their hearts too.

If you love a good second chance or rivals-t- lovers romance, or movies like "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days", we have a feeling that this will be, if you pardon the pun, just your type.

Just My Type by Fallon Ballard is out on 7 Feb. (£8.79)

"Maame", which is pronounced ma-meh, has many meanings in its native Twi. But in this case, it means woman. And that meaning is particularly fitting given the nature of this coming-of-age story. Exploring everything from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure and the pursuit of love, as well as what it feels like to be torn between two different and often opposing cultures and homes, this debut is already getting a lot of buzz from some of our favourite authors, such as Bonnie Garmus and Celeste Ng.

All her life, Maddie has been told who she is but when she eventually gets the chance to leave home, she knows this is the moment when she can truly forge who she wants and is meant to be. "Maame" will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for the protagonist the whole way through.

Maame by Jessica George is out on 14 Feb. (£14.99)

If you are looking for a book that will grip you from the very first page, look no further than Liz Nugent's latest release, "Strange Sally Diamond". Finding herself at the centre of attention after doing exactly what her father told her to do and putting him out with the rubbish when he died, we follow the reclusive titular character as she steps out into the world for the very first time, while she just so happens to be the centre of attention in the media and her community.

Everything from the book cover to the quirky and socially awkward Sally gives us some serious Wednesday Addams vibes. So if you've just binged the Netflix show "Wednesday", this could be right up your street. Even though this is a dark and often disturbing story, it still has plenty of heart and warmth, too.

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent is out on 2 March (£13.99)

Financial expert Claer Barrett, who many may know from her Money Clinic podcast or her work at the Financial Times, brings practical and easy to digest tips on all things money-related in "What They Don't Teach You About Money".
Particularly crucial as many of us start to look at our finances in the new year, as well as how we spend and save, during the current cost of living crisis. Unlike traditional personal finance books, it's not patronising and doesn't feel as though it will induce a headache.. Get your notepad or notes app ready to jot down just some of the top tips and prepare to look at your finances in a different way in 2023.

What They Don't Teach You About Money by Claer Barrett is out on 16 March (£9.67)

Fans of Alex North's previous bestsellers, "The Whisper Man" and "The Shadow Friend" will be pleased to see the release of his hotly anticipated third book at the end of March, "The Half Burnt House".

When an affluent university professor is found brutally murdered in his sweeping mansion, which remains half-ruined following a fire decades before, there's only one suspect; the man who has been caught on the home's CCTV system. So when Katie gets a call from a detective about her estranged younger brother, she knows she has to make up for abandoning him all those years ago. However, even she can't possibly comprehend just how much danger he is in.

With more questions than answers, this gripping thriller has you asking, why would someone as wealthy as the professor not repair his home after a fire ravaged half of it? Did he seem to know that his death was imminent, yet do nothing to stop it? And most importantly, why was he obsessed with a legendary local serial killer? We can't wait to find out the answers to all that and more.

The Half Burnt House by Alex North is out on 30 March (£13.79)

BookTok favourite Emily Henry, who brought us both the 2021 and 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Winners for Best Romance, for "You and Me on Vacation" and "Book Lovers" returns with what will surely be another bestseller. And when we say that we can't wait to get stuck into this book, we are literally counting down the days until its April release date.

"Happy Place" sees Harriet and Wyn, a couple who broke up months ago, pretend to still be together in order to keep the peace during a week-long holiday that they take with their best friends every year. How difficult can it be to fake it for one week, after years of being in love, they wonder. But doing so in front of those who know them best, may be an entirely different matter.

Happy Place by Emily Henry is out on 27 April (£13.19)

We love a book set in a bookshop and "Death Of A Bookseller" sees everything change when a new employee joins the store. Roach isn't interested in making friends, all she needs for company are her beloved murder podcasts and serial killer books. But when Laura, "with her cute literary tote bags and beautiful poetry" joins, she quickly becomes everyone's favourite bookseller. Yet, Roach sees some of the same darkness that she feels herself in Laura and this curiosity soon turns into a morbid infatuation.

A tale of obsession, this debut marries our cultural obsession with true crime and toxic female relationships in a truly unsettling way. And with author Alice Slater actually working as a bookseller in Waterstones for six years, this has piqued our interest even more.

Death Of A Bookseller by Alice Slater is out on 27 April (£13.19)

Inspired by a real-life case that shocked and awed the public at the time, Kate Foster's "The Maiden" vividly takes us back in time to Edinburgh in October 1679, when Lady Christian Nimmo is tried for the murder of her lover, James Forrester, a man who seemingly had many women in his life and others who would wish him ill. But what led a lady with such social standing risk everything for an affair? And does that really make her capable of his murder? This debut and winner of Bloody Scotland's 2020 Pitch Perfect Award, gives a voice to the women that were otherwise silenced by the passing of time. If you enjoy your historical fiction with a feminist twist and a building sense of dread, be sure to pick this book up when it comes out at the end of April.

The Maiden by Kate Foster is out on 27 April (£14.99)

Brought to you by Steve Jones (yes, the Steve Jones who currently presents the Formula 1 coverage and who was also one of our T4 crushes back in the day), this debut novel gives us "Sliding Doors" meets "Back To The Future" vibes in the very best way.

"Bob Bloomfield is, in the words of his best friend's wife, a 'selfish, arrogant a*sehole', who hasn't spent a great deal of time making friends in his 49 years on earth." But what if Bob could go back in time to 1986 and the one event that turned him into the man that he is today – the death of his younger brother, Tom? What would he do differently that day? In saving Tom, could he in turn, save himself? Prepare to be intrigued and transported.

Call Time by Steve Jones is out on 11 May (£16.99)

Set in two distinct time periods, "Ghost Girl, Banana" chronicles the lives of Sook-Yin, who is exiled from Kowloon to London in 1966, in what were the last years of the Chinese Windrush, and Lily (Sook-Yin's daughter) who in 1997's China can barely remember the mother that she lost when she was little.

In the late nineties timeline, Lily finds herself unexpectedly named the benefactor of a mysterious inheritance, one she ends up travelling across the world to claim. But in doing so, she begins to discover more about her identity and secrets that were buried decades earlier.

With a title that combines two typically stereotypical slurs against the two main characters, Wiz Wharton is certainly a new writer to watch.

Ghost Girl, Banana by Wiz Wharton is out on 18 May (£14.99)

Following up the success of her debut novel, "Exciting Times", Naoise Dolan returns with a book that perfectly encapsulates what it is like to be young, in love, and questioning society's expectations of what we should and shouldn't be doing at that age.

Charting the lives of five characters, the soon-to-be-married couple Luke and Celine, who are in mutually unrequited love with one another; the best man Archie, who is trying to quash his love for Luke; the bridesmaid Phoebe, Celine's sister who is suspicious of Luke's repeated and unexplained disappearances; as well as the guest Vivian, who is watching from afar, as they intersect at a wedding, "The Happy Couple" has all the charm and wit of Dolan's first novel. A great ensemble piece, this will surely be one of the must-read books of summer.

The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan is out on 25 May (£16.99)

Esther finds herself moaning about her love life (or lack thereof) with her two friends, when she finds a noughties women's mag. She immediately turns to the dating advice section where an article claims that there are only seven people a woman will date before finding 'The One': the first love, the work mistake, the friend with benefits, the overlap, the missed chance, the bastard, and the serious one.

Soon Esther begins to realise that each of her exes fit these rather specific roles to a tee. Should she really be looking at her past or will she find that the one that got away was actually sitting in her reject pile all along? We've loved some of Lucy Vine's previous books such as "Bad Choices" and "Hot Mess" and can't wait to read this one later this year.

Seven Exes by Lucy Vine is out on 25 May (£8.99)

For many, R F Kuang's "Babel" was one of their favourites books of 2022, with it being named Blackwell's Book of the Year for Fiction. And the author follows up the success with "Yellowface".

Yet again, Kuang expertly plays with satire and nuance. And her latest release examines and investigates what happens when greed, ambition, and white privilege combine and combust in the publishing industry. "Yellowface" asksnwhat would you steal for success? Someone's face, their name, or what about their skin? When Athena Liu, a literary darling and critical success dies, June Hayward, who didn't even get a paperback release of her first novel, takes Athena's just-finished manuscript and passes it off as her own. The only issue is that the novel is about "the unsung contributions of Chinese labourers to the British and French war efforts during World War I", and June is most definitely not Asian-American. Just how far will June go to protect her secret.

Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang is out on 25 May (£13.19)

The first rom-com from Stormzy and Penguin Random House's publishing partnership, Merky Books, Taylor-Dior Rumble's introduction to the industry is a stellar one. "The Situationship" follows twenty-something, Tia. In an era of dating apps and the low expectations that go alongside them, as well as situationships (an undefined or more casual relationship) she decides that it's time to put herself out there. She's surprised when she connects with Nate, a handsome photographer who is seemingly on the same page as her.

If you're looking for a relatable romance, particularly if you're currently single and navigating all that that entails in terms of what feels like endless dating and attempting to keep your sanity, this is a rom-com that feels incredibly genuine and is difficult to put down.

The Situationship by Taylor-Dior Rumble is out 17 August (£8.99)