Spring Preview 2023

So far, my reading this year has been a bit of a roller coaster. Early in January I read a few books I loved, but then I hit a patch that made me feel I was about to head into a slump. You know that feeling? Then, my February reading really took off with so many books I loved, including several from my Winter Preview. Now it’s time to see if the spring crop of books can keep that streak going. I considered SO MANY for this Spring Preview 2023 and I hope the 20 I settled on will give us all hours and hours of reading pleasure. As an added bonus, while putting this all together I realized that this list includes 11 debuts, hopefully bringing with them much to look forward to in the coming years.

Late March Releases

American Mermaid by Julia Langbein (debut)
Publisher: Doubleday Books (3/21)
Length: 336 pages

The Draw
– That title alone makes me want to read this book!
– Writer adapting her book into screenplay hitting roadblocks.
– Strong female characters.

Commitment by Mona Simpson
Publisher: Knopf (3/21)
Length: 416 pages

The Draw
– Single mom’s deep depression after leaving eldest at college.
– Three children, each with problems of their own.
– Deep dive into what happens when a parent becomes ill.

Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin (debut)
Publisher: Henry Hold and Co. (3/21)
Length: 240 pages

The Draw
– Vietnamese refugee experiences.
– Three siblings trying to make a life in England.
– Beautifully told from different perspectives.

April Releases

Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
Publisher: Berkley (4/4)
Length: 384 pages

The Draw
– I really enjoyed her debut The Comeback.
– Three teenage friends in Greece, only two come home.
– Ten years later, a similar event upends their lives.

Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling (debut)
Publisher: Atria (4/4)
Length: 304 pages

The Draw
– One of my new favorite micro-genres: Climate Fiction.
– All not what it seems at a remote Canadian camp.
– Explores the intersection of gender, class, and migration.

Carmen and Grace by Melissa Coss Aquino
Publisher: William Morrow (4/4)
Length: 400 pages

The Draw
– Coming-of-age story about two cousins largely neglected.
– Exposed to world of drug-trade, only one wants out.
– “…intimate story about the bonds of female friendship, ambition, and found family.”

This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs (debut)
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (4/4)
Length: 368 pages

The Draw
– Debut author is co-founder of The Bangles.
– One hit wonder singing Karaoke tracks 10 years later.
– Funny, sexy romance!

Old Flame by Molly Prentiss
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Books (4/11)
Length: 320 pages

The Draw
– I was a big fan of her debut, Tuesday Nights in 1980.
– A young woman’s life upended on all fronts.
– An unplanned pregnancy forces tough decisions.

Small Joys by Elvin James Mensah (debut)
Publisher: Ballantine Books (4/11)
Length: 320 pages

The Draw
– Young man finding happiness to be a futile pursuit.
– Complicated friendship with new roommate changes his world.
– Large friend group trying to grasp complexities of life.

The Weight by Jeff Boyd (debut)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (4/11)
Length: 336 pages

The Draw
– COA story of a young Black musician living in Portland.
– Life influenced by a legacy of strong Christian upbringing.
– “..exploration of faith, racial identity, love, & friendship—woven of acid humor, disarming vulnerability, and unforgettable poignance.”

If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook (debut)
Publisher: Ballantine Books (4/18)
Length: 368 pages

The Draw
– Cousins gather after their grandfather’s death
– Best friend’s eulogy leaves everyone reeling.
– Sounds like a fun family story.

Juno Loves Legs by Karl Geary
Publisher: Catapult (4/18)
Length: 304 pages

The Draw
– The publisher’s blurb gives me Normal People vibes.
– 1980’s Dublin setting.
– Two complicated characters who together feel invincible.

May Releases

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (debut)
Publisher: Pantheon Books (5/2)
Length: 384 pages

The Draw
– Female gladiators fighting in a private prison system.
– Reward of success? Freedom!
– The Hunger Games feel to it, but on steroids.

The Daydreams by Laura Hankin
Publisher: Berkley (5/2)
Length: 368 pages

The Draw
– Reunion of a popular teen show 13 years after flame out.
– Four stars have gone their on ways; only one still in acting.
– The reunion special threatens long held secrets.

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane
Publisher: Scribner (5/2)
Length: 3o4 pages

The Draw
– Really liked her last book, Ask Again, Yes.
– Entire story takes place over one week.
– A couple both at a crossroads in life.

Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan (debut)
Publisher: Random House Trades (5/2)
Length: 368 pages

The Draw
– Indian American parents split up 36 years into arranged marriage
– Navigating new relationships later in life.
– Secrets being held by the entire family.

Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndititu (debut)
Publisher: The Dial Press (5/2)
Length: 336 pages

The Draw
– Young woman has led a protected life in Nairobi until assaulted.
– Flees to NYC for college in the 1990’s.
– Eyes and heart are opened to so much she didn’t know.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Publisher: William Morrow (5/16)
Length: 336 pages

The Draw
– I didn’t love Babel, but want to try Kuang again.
– A young writer steals a dead colleague’s manuscript.
– “..takes on questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation..”

Social Engagement by Avery Carpenter Forrey (debut)
Publisher: Mariner Books (5/23)
Length: 336 pages

The Draw
– A 7-hour marriage that’s already imploded.
– Wife takes to social media history to find where it went wrong.
– True selves vs. screen selves!

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons (5/30)
Length: 320 pages

The Draw
– Tight group of college friends have “living” funerals.
– Latest reunion holds a secret that will upend their friendship.
– Rowley is a tried and true favorite author.

Which books are you most excited about this spring?

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