The best new books of January 2024, according to gurus who've read hundreds
A new year has arrived, and with it, countless new books to devour, too. With a plethora of genres catering to diverse tastes – from thought provoking, empowering and essential non-fiction to fantasy, romance and thrillers – January's newest literary releases are set to captivate you. The exact distraction we need from the cold.
For our contemporary literary fiction fans, the chaotic main character and her voracious appetite in Piglet will be the book you can’t put down – as she faces her toxic body image and a life changing decision. Wild Houses is an intense and visceral book that explores trauma and the banality of violence through the lens of drug feuds in Ballina, County Mayo. The witty and thought provoking Wellness by Nathan Hill is finally out in the UK, having been lauded by non-other than Oprah herself stateside. Elsewhere, sure to also check out Come and Get It, the newest book from Kiley Reid, a brilliant author who creates ultra-memorable characters – and Day, from the Pulitzer Prize winning Michael Cunningham.
January is a hugely busy month for fantasy readers, with a highly-anticipated follow up from Sarah J Mass, The Atlas Complex – the final instalment in The Atlas Six series that is beloved by dark academia acolytes – and Ruthless Vows, the desperately longed for sequel to smash hit Divine Rivals and Faebound, the start to a new Fae journey from Saara El-Arifi.
There's also a varied and impressive array of non-fiction this month, with Not The End of the World (a critical read on sustainability we would urge you to order immediately), Empireworld on race and imperialism, and One in a Millennial – a fierce look at all things millennial pop culture which also explores privilege, feminism, and intersectionality. There really is something for everyone in the below list, so get ordering from the links and escape through the pages.
After more reading inspo? We've got sleep books, cookbooks, poetry books, romance novels, true crime books, autobiographies, vegetarian cookbooks, mental health books and adult colouring books. We've also got coffee table books, summer books, vegan cookbooks and books by black authors. Don't say we don't treat you. For more from Chaya Colman and Sophie Ezra, follow @thebibliofilles on Instagram.
In paperback, hardback and on Kindle, here are the best new books of January 2024 according to expert recommendations.
Best new books January 2024
If you’re looking for something uplifting to kick off your reading list in 2024, this might just be the one for you. It’s 2002 and Danny has just started at Manchester University, and he’s decided he's not going to hide himself from the world any longer. At Freshers’ Fair, he meets Guy. Soon, they become the firmest of friends. But it’s not just friendship — not for Danny. And, when twenty years later, the pair return to the city for Manchester Pride, Danny decides it’s time to tell Guy; that he’s always been in love with him. Absorbing, moving and poignant, this is a story of friendship and love that you won’t want to miss.
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Best new books January 2024
Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet
The future of our planet hangs in the balance, and you might, like us, watch videos and read articles that only increase that feeling of complete helplessness in the face of incomprehensible destruction. Not the End of the World addresses all of that anxiety and confusion, presenting in a clear and surprisingly gripping way how we can change the trajectory of climate change. We love this book for so many reasons, its written by a data scientist that considers both the small and big things we can do, providing the right balance of research, guidance, and information to make this an essential read (so says none other than Margaret Attwood and Bill Gates). We all need this book.
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Best new books January 2024
From the author of The Murder Game comes a brand new whodunnit and trust us, it’s the perfect way to bring in 2024. Set on the private island of Castello Fiore on Lake Garda, it’s the wedding party of the year, if not the century; that of Laurence Heywood of illustrious British stock to Eva Bianchi, renowned Italian influencer. But, when a terrifying scream brings the ceremony to an abrupt halt, the guests find themselves trapped on the island and waiting for answers. Divided families, secrets, and suspicions, you’ll find yourself playing detective as you read this one. We can’t wait to hear what you think.
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Best new books January 2024
We, @thebibliofilles, predict that this Jamaican-inspired fantasy is going to be the breakout debut this month that is going to set social media alight. Our heroine is one of the chosen, able to harness divine power, she has feed her island from the dragon riding enemies they faced. Now she is forced to choose between her family and her home. This has all the elements of epic fantasy, is intricately written with a fast pace that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Pure fire.
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Best new books January 2024
Marjorie Crowe is a bit of an enigma, to say the very least. She dwells in Kilgoyne, Scotland and the locals don’t know much about her at all. They think she’s between fifty-five and seventy. That she might be divorced or a lifelong spinster. They reckon she was once a librarian. But, she could also have been a pharmacist. Or even — a witch. Is she lonely? Is she ill? Or is she just plain rude? It’s hard to be sure but for the most part, they leave her be. That is, until local teenager Charlie McKee is found dead — hanging in the woods — and Marjorie is the one to find his body. When it becomes clear that what she has seen can’t be possible, doubts are cast. And, when another young person goes missing, attention turns to Marjorie in a way it never has before…
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Best new books January 2024
Now, if you’re after some non-fiction this month, allow us to bring this book to your attention. From pop culture podcaster extraordinaire Kate Kennedy comes a thought-provoking and brilliantly perceptive celebration of the millennial zeitgeist. This is a journey from AOL instant messenger through to American Girl dolls, the Spice Girls as well as millennial motherhood — and a whole lot more. Packed to the brim, too, with great commentary on privilege, feminism, and intersectionality, it’s one you’ll definitely want to make sure your friends are reading too as we know you’re going to want to talk about it! And the cover, by the way, is perfection.
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Best new books January 2024
Food and a spiralling main character – yes please. Piglet is a debut that needs to be on your radar. Our girl, unable to lose her childhood nickname, is getting married imminently and ostensibly has the picture perfect life, from the home to the instaworthy wedding all planned. And you know what, she is pretty smug about her apparent life success. However, her fiancé Kit has a revelation that will destroy the façade and threatens to ruin her fragile world. A rich, vibrant, visceral book, that is brimming with acerbic wit and mouth watering food, this is dark, witty and explores societal pressure and body image in an unforgettable way.
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Best new books January 2024
Across the pond this has already been a New York Times bestseller, and book club OG Oprah may have had some impact given she has been waxing lyrical about Wellness since before its release. A clever and timely story about our tech-obsessed health culture, relationships, and societal pressure, we meet Jack and Elizabeth as college students in 90s Chicago. Twenty years later, things have changed, and the characters now face challenges from unfulfilled career ambitions to childhood trauma. What elevates this is the irony and acute observations that act as a mirror to our times.
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Best new books January 2024
It's unusual for a book to be published a month before its screen adaptation is released, but Argylle was so well received when put to market that the film rights were snapped up and an all-star cast signed on. I mean, when you have Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa dropping in, you know it’s a big one, notwithstanding all the drama around the hidden identity of the author. This spy thriller that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is clever, witty and attention grabbing. It has all the ingredients for a great read – a Russian magnate, a CIA spymaster and an apocalyptic world event that needs to be stopped at all costs.
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Best new books January 2024
Anything Ocean Vuong puts his name to we will read, and he calls this “a quietly stunning achievement”. Cunningham is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, who returns to our bookshelves after a decade with this highly-awaited latest novel. Capturing New York in the most vivid way, this is the story of one disjointed family through the dystopian reality of lockdown. Dan and Isabel, troubled husband, and wife, are both a little bit in love with Isabel’s younger brother, Robbie, the wayward soul of the family, who still lives in the attic loft. This is a poignant and searing story of loss, love, life and marriage that will leave a mark on every reader.
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Best new books January 2024
We adored Kiley Reid’s debut, Such a Fun Age, and are so excited to welcome her back to the literary scene with her second novel this month. Set in 2027 at the University of Arkansas, it’s the story of an unlikely friendship. Millie wants to graduate, find a job, and buy a house. So, when visiting professor, Agatha Paul, offers her an unusual opportunity to earn some extra money, she decides to take her up on it. Both formidable and intelligent women, they become embroiled in a world of university theatrics that you’ll want to add to your reading lists ASAP.
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Best new books January 2024
It’s here; the brand new novel from New York Times bestselling author, Rachel Hawkins – and let us tell you, you’re not going to want to miss this one. Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore has died — the richest and most notorious woman in the whole of North Carolina. So, it’s hardly surprising that the aftermath is going to be somewhat complicated. The victim of a childhood kidnapping and a widow four times (!), she ruled the town of Tavistock from her family’s mountain estate. Her adopted son, Camden, wants nothing to do with the money — or the rest of his family for that matter — but when his uncle dies ten years later, he’s pulled back to the estate, and the secrets of the past. Explosive, gripping and addictive with a cast of characters you won’t forget.
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Best new books January 2024
There will be many who will buy this book because it has highly sought after praise from Sally Rooney on the cover. It deserves all of the hype and reviews; Wild Houses is a simmering and taut novel that is ferocious and brutal. Cillian English is a small time drug dealer who is in the midst of a feud with two burly County Mayo enforcers, Gabe, and Sketch Ferdia. The violence spills over, affecting family and friends, but this is so much more than the plot because of the haunting and evocative prose. Barrett explores brutality and trauma through intricate and layered characters that leap of the page.
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Best new books January 2024
From the National Book Award-winning author of The Friends and What Are You Going Through comes a brand new story about connection and modern life. Alone in New York City during lockdown, our narrator finds herself helping out a friend with house/pet-sitting. But, when her friend’s trip ends up being extended, she finds herself stuck in the apartment. She takes long walks and asks probing questions. What does it mean, our female narrator asks, to truly be alive at this complex moment in our human history? This is a novel of musings, of exploration and one that truly, truly speaks to the soul.
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Best new books January 2024
Sathnam Sanghera’s Empireland got us all talking about race and imperial history in Britain. Now, he’s back with Empireworld, focusing on how British imperialism has shaped today’s wider world. Sometimes, it’s hard to fully comprehend the size and scope of the former British empire; that it once inhabited approximately one quarter of the entire planet. But its power and influence is unquestionable, even now; from the spread of Christianity, through to 1 in 3 of us driving on the left side of the road! In Empireworld, Sanghera explores the impact of the British empire across the globe taking us on a journey from Barbados to Nigeria, to India and beyond. It’ll leave you wide eyed with wonder at how deeply embedded British imperialism truly is — and why now, it’s time for Britain to be honest with itself about the legacy it has left.
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Best new books January 2024
An assured debut from an exciting new voice, Adorah Nworah has written a gripping, twisting take that is a blend of psychological thriller and horror. There was a suffocating, uncomfortable quality s the tension builds that made this hard to put down. Ikemefuna is transported from Lagos to Houston, thrust into an arranged marriage with a stranger and presented with her new husband. She is made promises about all of the opportunities she will have and the life she will live…and when the reality becomes darker, things start to get more and more unsettling.
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Best new books January 2024
Early reviews suggest you should only this debut when you have the time to read every word in one sitting, because First Lie Wins is nothing short of addictive. A psychological thriller that is already being adapted into a major TV show, this is a book that keeps you guessing. Evie Porter seemingly has everything going for her except one small thing – she doesn’t really exist. Fast paced, packed with twists and suspense, this is a tale of deception that will you keep you guessing until the end. This would be a great title to choose for a book club of thriller lovers.
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Best new books January 2024
This book is equal parts dark academia, serial killer thriller and feminist fantasy, and we are here for all of it. Five women have died, and the authorities have no leads. Set in a recognisable world with one distinct difference, women can use magic, and this is a power disparity that some men will do anything to destroy. Enter three damaged young women, one cursed, one hunted and one out for revenge, who join forces to track down and stop a brutal supernatural killer from harming any more innocents. Early reviews call this a twisted modern fairy tale with a razor sharp wit and a fast pace.
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Best new books January 2024
Divine Rivals was a genuine word of mouth hit that grew into an international bestseller, capturing the hearts of readers all over the world. Ruthless vows is the epic conclusion of this story, that is just as tender and beautiful. Honestly, it crept up on us – there's a vulnerability and poignancy to the writing that made this exceptionally readable. We pick up two weeks after Iris returns home, her love Roman is lost behind enemy lines with no memory of his past. Hope arrives in a form we might remember, through a mysterious letter from an unknown pen pal that may just have all the answers.
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Best new books January 2024
Another superb piece of non-fiction this month comes from Deborah G. Plant. Of Greed and Glory is a brilliant and thought-provoking study of America’s continued obsession with bondage, told through a deeply personal lens. Plant examines the continuing institution of slavery in the States, despite its abolition, and how it continues in the country today in different forms. With Plant’s own brother currently serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit, she offers a moving parallel alongside her erudite narrative and we guarantee that this is a book that will both shock and educate you in a way that you won’t forget.
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Best new books January 2024
Are you in a Fourth Wing reading slump? Romantasy is the newest kid on the genre block, and it is selling more books that publishers can print. Blending expansive fantasy with explosive romance, Faebound is going to be your new obsession, from a best-selling author of The Final Strife series, beloved by readers. Enter the world of the fae and meet Yeeran, a warrior in the elven army who is exiled after a disastrous mistake. Lost, they encounter the long hidden court of the Fae and everything changes. This has it all – an enemies to lovers storyline, magic, political intrigue, and a fierce heroine you will be rooting for.
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Best new books January 2024
With her father critically ill, Pearline leaves her children and grandchildren in Brooklyn to return to Jamaica, her childhood home. Upon her arrival, her father reveals his last wish; that Pearline find her missing siblings, whom she hasn’t seen for over sixty years. This beautiful novel will take you on a journey through time and place from Cuba to Montego Bay, Brooklyn to Havana as our protagonist tries to rectify the future as she moves through a fractured past. Intergenerational trauma, family secrets and a story with an enormous heart, there is much to love about this one.
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Best new books January 2024
Cancel all plans. Millions of fans will be counting the days until the next instalment in this smash hit of a series is released. Mass is an author that tortures her readers – the twist in the last book was the subject of countless TikToks and reels. If you haven’t dipped your toes into her dark and magical imagination, the Crescent City books are the ones to try, with political intrigue, mythology, vampires, and action in equal measure, and a healthy dose of spice. Be warned – you will immediately need to read her A Court of Thorns and Roses series, too.
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Best new books January 2024
Receiving an advance copy of this book felt like finding a golden ticket in a Wonka bar. People stopped us on the tube, desperate to know how we already had it. That is the level of excitement and anticipation that surrounds the final instalment of Olivie Blake’s highly acclaimed dark academia trilogy The Atlas Six. The previous two titles have delighted readers, written with an acute precision, and drawing on an expansive array of subjects that lend an authority and authenticity to the layered and flawed characters. A TikTok sensation that is as seductive as it is complex, filled with intrigue – the setting of the library and the secret society is one we will all miss when this is over. A book to savour and ration.
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