The Most Anticipated Fiction Books Of 2023

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is a highly anticipated fiction book set to be released on the 7th of March 2023. This powerful debut novel tells the story of a Puerto Rican family in Staten Island who discovers that their long-missing sister, Ruthy, may be alive and appearing on a reality TV show. Determined to bring her home, the family embarks on a road trip and a journey of self-discovery as they confront the past and the challenges that have shaped their lives.

Written with “hilarious, heartbreaking, and a**-kicking” wit, What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is a poignant and powerful exploration of familial bonds, colonialism, race, and the cycles of violence and silence that can shape a family’s history. The novel follows the Ramirez women as they navigate their relationships with each other and with the larger world, dealing with everything from newborn babies and medical school rejections to pot-stirring holy roller best friends.

At its heart, What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is a story about the resilience and strength of family, and the lengths we will go to protect and support the people we love. Whether you’re a fan of family dramas or just looking for a gripping, thought-provoking read, this is a book that you won’t want to miss in 2023. So, get ready for an emotional rollercoaster of a book that will leave you laughing, crying, and cheering for the Ramirez women as they fight to bring Ruthy home.

The Half Moon, the highly anticipated new novel by Mary Beth Keane, is set to be published on May 2nd, 2023. This beautifully written book delves into the complexities of marriage, family, longing, and desire, following the story of Malcolm Gephardt, a bartender who dreams of owning his own bar, and his wife Jess, a smart and confident lawyer struggling to accept that motherhood may not be in the cards for her.

As Malcolm takes over the Half Moon and struggles to make a profit, Jess grapples with the idea of reshaping her life and her hopes and expectations for the future. Over the course of one tumultuous week, the couple faces shocking news, a missing patron at the bar, and a massive blizzard that hits their town.

Through skilled storytelling and a generous spirit, Mary Beth Keane explores the challenges and crises that can test a marriage, and the true meaning of family. If you’re a fan of beautifully written, emotionally resonant fiction, The Half Moon is a book you won’t want to miss in 2023. Get ready to be swept up in the lives of Malcolm and Jess as they navigate the ups and downs of love, family, and the search for meaning and fulfillment.

Victory City, the highly anticipated new novel by Salman Rushdie, is set to be published on February 7th, 2023. This epic tale follows the life of Pampa Kampana, a young girl who becomes a vessel for the goddess Pampa and is tasked with bringing a great city called Bisnaga, or “victory city,” into existence.

Over the course of 250 years, Pampa Kampana’s life becomes deeply intertwined with the rise and fall of Bisnaga, as she works to give women equal agency in a patriarchal world. As rulers come and go, battles are won and lost, and allegiances shift, the very fabric of Bisnaga becomes an ever more complex tapestry, with Pampa Kampana at its center.

Brilliantly styled as a translation of an ancient epic, Victory City is a beautifully told story of love, adventure, and myth, and a testament to the power of storytelling. With its unique blend of history, fantasy, and myth, this is a book that will transport readers to a world unlike any they’ve ever imagined. If you’re a fan of epic tales and imaginative fiction, Victory City is a book you won’t want to miss in 2023. Get ready to be swept up in the magical world of Salman Rushdie’s vision and the enduring power of the human spirit.

Pineapple Street is one of the most highly anticipated fiction books of 2023, set to be published on March 7th. This deliciously funny and sharply observed debut novel follows the lives of three women in a wealthy Brooklyn clan as they navigate family, love, and class.

Darley, the eldest daughter, has traded her job and inheritance for motherhood, but has given up far too much in the process. Sasha, a middle-class New England girl who has married into the family, finds herself cast as the outsider. And Georgiana, the baby of the family, falls in love with someone she can’t have and must decide what kind of person she wants to be.

Filled with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one-percenters, Pineapple Street is a smart and escapist novel that sparkles with wit. With its loveable and fallible characters, this book is a sheer delight that explores the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the divide between the haves and have-nots, and the insanity of first love. If you’re a fan of smart, funny, and relatable fiction, Pineapple Street is a book you won’t want to miss in 2023. Get ready to be swept up in the lives of these three women as they navigate the complexities of family and love.

I Have Some Questions For You is one of the most highly anticipated fiction books of 2023, set to be published on February 21st. This riveting new novel from the author of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist The Great Believers tells the story of Bodie Kane, a successful film professor and podcaster who is content to forget her past.

When the Granby School invites Bodie back to teach a course, she is drawn into the debate surrounding the murder of her former roommate, Thalia Keith, and the conviction of the school’s athletic trainer, Omar Evans. As Bodie begins to investigate the case and its apparent flaws, she begins to wonder if she wasn’t as much of an outsider at Granby as she’d thought and if she knew something that might have held the key to solving the case.

I Have Some Questions For You is a stirring investigation into collective memory and a deeply felt examination of one woman’s reckoning with her past. With its compelling mystery at its heart and a cast of unforgettable characters, this is a book that is sure to keep readers turning pages late into the night. If you’re a fan of compelling mysteries and deeply emotional character studies, I Have Some Questions For You is a book you won’t want to miss in 2023. Get ready to be swept up in this timely, hypnotic, and compulsive page-turner.

Hell Bent is one of the most highly anticipated fiction books of 2023, set to be published on January 10th. This thrilling sequel to the bestselling Ninth House follows the story of Galaxy “Alex” Stern, who is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory, even if it costs her a future at Lethe and Yale.

Forbidden from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe. Together, they must navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies’ most closely guarded secrets and break every rule doing it. As faculty members begin to die off, Alex realizes that something deadly is at work in New Haven, and she must reckon with the monsters of her past and the darkness built into the university’s very walls in order to survive.

Filled with history and packed with Bardugo’s signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters. If you’re a fan of fast-paced, action-packed stories with richly developed worlds and complex characters, Hell Bent is a book you won’t want to miss in 2023. Get ready to be swept up in this thrilling tale of magic, murder, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love.

Age of Vice is one of the most highly anticipated fiction books of 2023, set to be published on January 3rd. This epic and action-packed story takes place in contemporary India, in the midst of the seductive wealth, corruption, and violence of the Wadia family.

The novel follows the lives of Ajay, a watchful servant who rises through the family’s ranks; Sunny, the playboy heir who dreams of outshining his father; and Neda, the curious journalist caught between morality and desire. As these three lives become dangerously intertwined, they are drawn into a world of lavish estates, extravagant parties, predatory business deals, and calculated political influence.

As the plot is fueled by loss, pleasure, greed, yearning, violence, and revenge, the connections between these characters become a path to escape or a trigger of further destruction. Age of Vice is a sweeping crime thriller and family saga that transports readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, offering a glimpse into the consequences of corruption and the dark underbelly of modern India. If you’re a fan of binge-worthy entertainment with complex characters and a fast-paced plot, Age of Vice is a book you won’t want to miss in 2023. Get ready to be swept up in this intoxicating tale of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, and forbidden romance.

Yellowface is a highly anticipated fiction book of 2023, set to be published on May 16th. Written by bestselling author R.F. Kuang, this novel tells the story of June Hayward, a struggling author who becomes involved in a dangerous scheme when she witnesses the accidental death of her rival, Athena Liu. Desperate to make it in the competitive world of publishing, June seizes the opportunity to steal Athena’s unfinished masterpiece and pass it off as her own. As she becomes successful under the pseudonym Juniper Song, June must confront the ethics of her actions and the consequences of cultural appropriation.

With a clever and immersive first-person narrative, Yellowface delves into the themes of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation in the publishing industry. It explores the persistent erasure of Asian-American voices and history by Western society, and raises important questions about identity, belonging, and the lengths we will go to achieve our goals. If you’re a fan of thought-provoking and timely novels with complex characters and relevant social themes, Yellowface is a must-read for 2023. Don’t miss this gripping and timely tale of identity, greed, and the cost of success.

“A Spell of Good Things” by Ayobami Adebayo is one of the most anticipated fiction books of 2023, set to be published on February 7th. In A Spell of Good Things, Ayobami Adebayo tells the intersecting stories of Eniola and Wuraola, two young people struggling to navigate the complexities of life in Nigeria. Eniola, a poor boy from a struggling family, dreams of a better future while working as a errand runner for a local tailor. Wuraola, a successful doctor from a wealthy family, is caught in the midst of a volatile relationship with Kunle, the son of a rising politician.

When a politician takes an interest in Eniola and violence disrupts a family party, the two lives become intertwined, revealing the stark divide between the haves and have-nots in Nigeria and the shared humanity that exists between them. This captivating novel explores the themes of class, family, and the search for meaning and fulfillment in a rapidly changing world.

Maame, written by Jessica George and set to be published on January 31, 2023, tells the story of Maddie, a young woman struggling to find her place in London. Struggling with a demanding job and a father with Parkinson’s disease, Maddie is excited to finally start living when her mother returns from Ghana.

As she begins to experience new things and explore the world of internet dating, Maddie is suddenly confronted with a tragedy that forces her to confront the complexities of her unconventional family. Through humor and poignancy, Maame addresses themes of duty, racism, love, and the power of friendship, as Maddie struggles to find her place between two cultures.