2023 is here with exciting books! And for the very first week of the year, there are some everyone must check out. Whether it’s a translated fiction about music or a thriller set in Mumbai, there’s something for everyone: a rival romance, a gripping historical fiction, exciting debut fantasy novels, and more! Don’t forget to let us know which title has caught your attention the most. The Shelf Seeking Series is all about weekly lists that bring attention to upcoming releases.
The Piano Turner by Chiang-Sheng Kuo
A powerful novel of sounds: both music and of the heart. A grieving widower, a piano turner with secrets, and an out-of-tune piano — a journey of self-discovery across time and continents. Something from the winner of every major literary award in Taiwan is bound to be anticipated. Buy now!
The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim
A Bangladeshi-American teen, a meddling mother, and a love triangle: what’s not to be excited about. A heartfelt rom-com that is culturally rich and is praised by Adiba Jaigirdar, author of The Henna Wars, as “a love story that’s everyone’s cup of cha.” Buy now!
A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith
An ensemble cast of seven main characters, a witch who must venture into a demonic enchanted forest to reset her fate, a company of her ex-boyfriend and his older brother. With queer characters, this young adult fantasy is said to be for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black. Buy now!
Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman
Twin sisters on a run: one in search of a fabled treasure, the other searching for the truth of behind her origin as a changeling. A realm of fae filled with secrets and a heist for a mystery legacy. With an autistic representation, this young adult fantasy tells a magical tale of sisterhood. Buy now!
The Wrong Kind of Weird by James Ramos
A multicultural geek and nerd club, a member who is in a secret relationship with the school queen bee, and a new girl who isn’t afraid to be herself or wear her heart on her sleeve. This young adult love story with a diverse cast is all about high school cliques and emotional learning to discover oneself. Buy now!
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
A star football player who is pretty much perfect, a conspiracy-theory-obsessed quirky content creator, and a survival course that brings these academic rivals and ex-best friends together. This laugh-out-loud young adult romance with a diverse cast and mental health acceptance is the latest from the bestselling author of the Brown Sisters trilogy. Buy now!
The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas
A gritty and glam world of Mumbai, a police inspector and a bar girl in love, a predator watching them both. With a feminist narrative, this thriller deals with human trafficking, shoot-outs, and a serial-killer investigation. Buy now!
Night Wherever We Go by Tracey Rose Peyton
A struggling Texas plantation where the owners would do anything for financial prospects, six enslaved women determined to protect themselves from a “stockman” hired to impregnate them, a plan which if discovered will lead to severe consequences. This gripping novel about a covert rebellion is all about the gravest injustices and solidarity against them. Buy now!
FANNA HELLO HII ITS SO SO NICE TO SEE A POST FROM YOU AGAIN??!!!!!! I MISSED YOUUUU.
also omg THIS POST IS PHENOMENAL AND THANK YOU FOR INCREASING MY TBR YET AGAIN. i cant even see the top at this point tbh BUT ITS FINE. i need a ruinous fate (MULTIPLE MAIN CHARACTERS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS EVER CREATED ALRIGHT) and also unseelie BECAUSE I AM TRASH FOR SIBLING DYNAMICS. but also the entire plotline just sounds REALLY REALLY COOL!!! also the blue bar nbfdbhghb!!!!! will read anything with mumbai on the title THANK YOU. i looooove this list and also your posts and blog and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I HOPE ITS A GREAT ONE <33