There are a lot of new books coming out every week. With New Release Radar, I’ll help you narrow down the week’s new book releases into the titles you should get excited about. This week, I have eight great books to share with you, including five incredible debuts. Read on.
We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin
Sigrid drifts through life working at the Dollar Pal, avoiding adulthood while grappling with past traumas, including her parents’ violent fights and the loss of her best friend Greta to the opioid epidemic. Her sister Margit, frustrated by Sigrid’s refusal to conform, seeks to uncover the secrets behind her detachment. Together, the sisters rediscover the power of their shared childhood imagination, finding a path to healing and connection.
We Could Be Rats is a moving story of two very different sisters and a love letter to childhood. Emily Austin’s new book release might be her best yet.
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The Outcast Mage by Annabel Campbell
In the magic-driven city of Amoria, Naila faces exile if she can’t control her unstable powers. A tragic incident jeopardizes her future until Haelius Akana, the city’s most powerful mage, steps in as her mentor, risking his position to help her. As Naila becomes entangled in the dangerous intrigues of Amoria’s elite, she must uncover the truth about her magic before brewing tensions erupt into civil war—or her power is used to destroy everything she holds dear.
With multiple points of view and edge-of-your-seat pacing, The Outcast Mage is a fantastic debut. Annabel Campbell’s novel combines epic, high fantasy adventure with dark academia elements for a truly unique read.
The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears
After losing her family and inheritance, sixteen-year-old Amie must enter into servitude for Princess Mariama of Mali, whose father has turned her path to marriage into a deadly spectacle of impossible trials and public executions. Amid court drudgery and danger, Amie grows closer to Mariama, complicating her plans to escape with her love, Kader. When a mysterious discovery forces Amie to act, she must decide whether to flee or help the princess end the brutal trials, embarking on a perilous journey to seek an exiled god and reclaim her destiny.
The Scorpion Queen is a suspenseful historical YA fantasy perfect for fans of Uprooted and Children of Blood and Bone. In a story based on a Malian fairytale, Mina Fears delivers unique fantasy elements and deeper, darker themes of power and manipulation.
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West Hollywood Monster Squad by Sina Grace, Illustrated by Bradley Clayton
Marvin Matocho’s night at a local drag show takes a wild turn when mysterious pink snow blankets Los Angeles, unleashing hordes of monsters. Teaming up with his friends — a group of queer teens, a drag queen and a seasoned bar manager — Marvin must navigate personal conflicts and deadly dangers to uncover the source of the chaos. With demons overrunning the city, the unlikely heroes race to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
Complicated friendships, drag queens and monsters attacking Hollywood combine in Sina Grace’s new book release. West Hollywood Monster Squad is full of twists and turns, along with some great art by Bradley Clayton.
The English Problem by Beena Kamlani
Eighteen-year-old Shiv Advani is honored when Mahatma Gandhi personally chooses him to study law in England and aid India’s fight for independence. Bound by duty and an arranged marriage, Shiv arrives in London, where he’s both repelled by and drawn to the empire’s culture. As he grapples with racism, colonialism, and his own identity, Shiv must confront the complexities of liberation, both for his country and himself.
The English Problem is a sweeping narrative full of rich details and complicated history. Beena Kamlani’s debut is definitely a book you’ll want to talk about as soon as you finish it.
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I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang
After every Ivy League School rejects her, Jenna Chen wishes to be her brilliant, Harvard-bound cousin Jessica. Then, her wish literally comes true. Trapped in her cousin’s life, Jenna discovers that perfection at Havenwood Academy comes at a steep cost. As everyone forgets who Jenna ever was, she must choose between living Jessica’s idealized life or reclaiming her own identity before it’s lost forever.
Even with their elements of magical realism, Ann Liang’s books are just so relatable. I Am Not Jessica Chen features a main character who wants to be seen for who she truly is, perfect for any reader who feels like they aren’t enough.
Too Soon by Betty Shamieh
35-year-old Arabella is a struggling New York theater director on the verge of giving up. In an effort to change her life, she accepts a high-stakes opportunity to direct a bold Shakespeare adaptation in the West Bank. There, she must navigate romantic entanglements with Aziz, a Palestinian American doctor, and Yoav, an Israeli American theater designer. Meanwhile, her grandmother Zoya’s matchmaking efforts rekindle memories of her own forbidden love, and Arabella’s mother, Naya, confronts unresolved regrets from her youth.
Spanning generations, Too Soon story weaves together love, ambition and the pursuit of second chances. Betty Shamieh’s debut is a funny and heart-wrenching look at the lives of Palestinian American women.
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Blob by Maggie Su
Vi Liu’s life takes a surreal turn when a mysterious blob she discovers on a drunken night out transforms into a sentient being she can mold to her will. In a bid to create her perfect partner, Vi shapes the creature into an impossibly handsome man, feeding him cereal and pop culture. But as her creation takes on a life of its own, Vi is forced to confront the messy truths of her identity, her upbringing, and the complexities of love and control.
Blob is a darkly humorous and introspective journey of self-discovery. Maggie Su’s debut is a uniquely strange but somehow still grounded story with a truly endearing premise.
You can check out these new book releases at Bookshop.org or your local bookstore. What January 28 new release are you most excited to read? Let us know below, and tune in next week to grow your TBR.
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