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6 Literary Fiction Books to Get Lost in

With so many new literary fiction books releasing in 2023, it can be hard to choose which ones to read first. But don't worry - we've got you covered! Check out our picks for the six literary fiction books you absolutely have to read this month.

The Essence of Emmaline Strong

by J. Willis Sanders

Release Date: November 23, 2022

Jordan McCray is a musical prodigy. Having mastered three stringed instruments by age ten, she plans a great career after college. When a medical diagnosis ends those plans, a women who claims to be born before the Civil War offers to help. That help, unfortunately, comes with a condition that will change Jordan's life forever ... if she accepts.

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The Cart Pusher

by Phil M. Williams

Release Date: January 1, 2023

Why am I here? My life’s pointless. I was going to Penn before my parents got divorced and stopped paying my tuition. Now I’m back at Big-Mart. The only positive in my life is Charlotte, my hot girlfriend. Although, if I’m being honest, it’s not going so well. My coworker, Kyle, is a misogynist, but he might be right about Charlotte’s monkey branching, which apparently means she’s still with me but looking to trade up. I think she might be interested in our boss. Ron’s been known to “date” the most attractive associates. But I have a plan to turn it all around. I’ve been saving and investing in Bitcoin. I’m gonna be rich. You’ll see. Then I’ll show everybody.

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His Secret Daughter

by Melissa Wiesner

Release Date: January 3, 2023

Not Noah. Not my husband. But there he is, unconscious in the hospital bed. Our daughter sobs into my shoulder. We love him so much. What if he never wakes up? And who is the little girl beside him, gazing up at us with big, tear-filled brown eyes? Eyes that look just like my husband’s…

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The Hopkins Manuscript

by R.C. Sherriff

Release Date: January 5, 2023

First published in 1939, as the world was teetering on the brink of global war, R.C. Sherriff’s classic science fiction novel is a timely and powerful missive from the past that captures human nature in all its complexity.

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Night Wherever We Go

by Tracey Rose Peyton

Release Date: January 3, 2023

A gripping, radically intimate debut novel about a group of enslaved women staging a covert rebellion against their owners. Visceral and arresting, Night Wherever We Go illuminates each woman’s individual trials and desires while painting a subversive portrait of collective defiance. Unflinching in her portrayal of America’s gravest injustices, while also deeply attentive to the transcendence, love, and solidarity of women whose interior lives have been underexplored, Tracey Rose Peyton creates a story of unforgettable power.

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In the Time of Our History

by Susanne Pari

Release Date: January 3, 2023

Inspired by her own Iranian-American heritage, the acclaimed author weaves a beautifully crafted story of mothers and daughters, secrets and lies, and defying expectations—even when those choices come with an irrevocable cost.

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New Year, New Thrilling Mysteries!

Got a new reading goal as one of your new year's resolutions? We've got you covered! From James Patterson to Ana Reyes and many more, check out these must-read mystery and thriller books. They're the perfect way to start off your 2023!

Dark Lies (Logan Cooper Series Book 1)

by Elliot York

Release Date: January 9, 2023

The past is the past... until it’s not. She was the girl everyone wanted but no one could have—no one but him. They’d loved each other. Becca’s suicide at age 18 broke Logan. The heartache never fully healed. But nothing could have prepared him for the shock of what came next.

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Black Widow

by Brooke Sivendra

Release Date: December 5, 2022

They told him she was dead. They were wrong. Five long years he searched for her. When the CIA told him she was dead — killed in an explosion he’d caused — he had given up the search. But now a photograph sits on his desk. A photograph taken one block from his house. James doesn’t believe in ghosts. Black Widow is back.

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Ghost 19

by Simone St. James

Release Date: January 3, 2023

A woman moves to a town where she becomes obsessed with watching the lives of her neighbors while stuck in a house that refuses to let her leave in this first ever short story from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases.

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The House of Wolves

by James Patterson & Mike Lupica

Release Date: January 9, 2023

James Patterson and Mike Lupica are the thriller dream team! Jenny Wolf’s murdered father leaves her in charge of a billion-dollar empire—and a family more ruthless than Succession's Roys and Yellowstone’s Duttons.

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The House in the Pines

by Ana Reyes

Release Date: January 3, 2023

Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed....

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The Blue Bar (Blue Mumbai Thriller Book 1)

by Damyanti Biswas

Release Date: January 1, 2023

On the dark streets of Mumbai, the paths of a missing dancer, a serial killer, and an inspector with a haunted past converge in an evocative thriller about lost love and murderous obsession.

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Interview with Elliot York, Author of Dark Lies

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Dark Lies?

I usually get my ideas when I’m out in nature, walking or hiking along my favorite path. Characters peel out of my imagination and start to take shape in my head. Pretty soon they’re talking and I can picture them, and then they get a name. If a character gets all the way to the naming stage, then I’m committed. They’re going to be in the book. The storyline is just the thread that holds them all together.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Dark Lies, what would they be?

Logan Cooper’s theme song would probably be Tom Petty’s Free Fallin'. A heartbreaking divorce and a stressful job have put him in a sort of freefall and he’s looking for something to grab onto. His new partner, Reggie Hawkins, is sweet, innocent, and edged with some good old-fashioned badassery. I’d say she’s one part Van Morrison’s Tupelo Honey and one part Bruce Springsteen’s Tougher than the Rest.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love mystery and romance, especially when they’re in the same book!

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m currently reading Tana French’s In the Woods. Her writing is inspiring.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I had a lot of fun writing the scene where Logan Cooper meets his new partner, Reggie Hawkins because he makes a complete ass of himself. But my favorite scenes are the ones that go back in time, to when Logan was a young, angry teen with an insatiable love for one girl and an equally insatiable need to protect her from a dangerous father.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I’m usually surrounded by sleeping dogs and something about their soft snores helps me find my rhythm on the keyboard.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

The one I grew up with. Kindness is priority number one.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I just hope they can find my book an entertaining escape from reality and if they close the book still thinking about the characters, that would be the cherry on top.

Elliot York is the author of the new book Dark Lies

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Interview with J. Willis Sanders, Author of The Essence of Emmaline Strong

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Essence of Emmaline Strong?

Being a musician and a writer, I wanted to write a novel with music at its core. I also wrote some songs in it.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Essence of Emmaline Strong, what would they be?

Away Down the River sung by Alison Krauss.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Historical fiction. It's not the same.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I'm reading America's First Daughter. Next is My Dear Hamilton. After that I might re-read All the Light We Cannot See or Life After Life.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

When Jordan, the main character, discovers the link between her and a young girl whose father she once hated.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I enjoy writing outside. I need silence, no music whatsoever. Since I love music, that's a bit quirky.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Of all the attitudes, the greatest is gratitude.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

To always search your heart for your purpose in life.

J. Willis Sanders is the author of the new book The Essence of Emmaline Strong

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Interview with Dale Mayer, Author of Landon

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Landon?

K9s have always been a big interest in my world. All pets/animals are in truth, but the working dogs are especially interesting. Hence the journey to track down and find as many of the lost ones as I could.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love to read RS and yes, it's my favorite to write. Why mess with a good thing? 🙂

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I have the latest JD Robb and just ordered the latest Jayne Ann Krentz - then there's the large stack of business books to plow through!

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

In this case the interaction between hero and canine!

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I dictate and love to do puzzles at the same time!

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Treat others as you'd like to be treated. It's the way I was raised and the way I raised my children.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

There are heros in the world!

Dale Mayer is the author of the new book Landon

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The Story Behind the Story: Four Writer Tools by Stella Atrium

The Story Behind the Story: Four Writer Tools by Stella Atrium

How to open the second book in a series? I puzzled with this question for a good long time while writing THE BODY POLITIC which is Book II in my series.

Elements to consider include:

How much time has passed since the first book was published?

My idea was that if the release time between books is short, then the writer can continue the story with little exposition to reorient the reader to previous events. But if the second book comes out more than a year later, then some help is needed for the reader to remember previous events.

This consideration is only for the published dates, though. When a reader starts a series after several books are published, then they buy book two (or not) when they finish the first story.

How much time has passed for the characters between two stories?

If the writer chooses to jump forward by a decade in the course of events, then some effort is needed to help the reader find the thread for each character.

In the recent Netflix series The Crown, for example, actors were switched out for the decades of Queen Elizabeth’s journey as a royal. The new actors for each role were nicely tucked into the stream of events with a “soft entrance” for each.

The viewer/reader is expecting to see Princess Margaret (sister to the queen) because her arrival is announced. We accept the substitute of an older actress.

Is a recap of past events necessary to help the reader find the story threads?

The need for a recap depends on the story, of course, but generally the exposition becomes tedious for readers who just finished the first book. Present an active inciting incident instead, one that involves readers in today’s problem.

Reminders of past relations can be added in the dialogue. “You haven’t changed one bit since we served together in Africa!”

How to manage specific terms or a vocabulary that worked in Book One?

Science fiction or fantasy genres can be full of special names, locations, terms, or even a full language like Elfin. Writers offer genealogy charts, maps, or a glossary of terms to establish the series almost like add-ons for a video game. Many readers appreciate the additions. Other readers skip the appendix and try to make sense of the action by reading.

One writer tool is adding an apprentice or incidental traveler who is new to the group. This apprentice can ask the obvious question. “What does he mean when he says chi cylay?” The established characters can relate the term to a previous action, this way the reader gets a defined term and a reminder of how characters used it previously.

Of course, this incidental character must have a stake in today’s problem as well, not just functioning as a foil.

One caveat, though.

Writers tend to worry about readers who engage with the next book after a gap in reading time. My experience is that the reader starts the next story while the first one is still fresh, reading a whole series before they turn to another writer.

I know science fiction readers who won’t start a series until the first two trilogies are available, just so they don’t have to wait for the next book to be published.

At least that’s how our habits grew during the pandemic. Maybe now that we can all get out more, the commitment will be less.

THE BUSH CLINIC and THE BODY POLITIC are available now! Check out this BookLife review for THE BODY POLITIC to see what readers are saying.

Book III in The Tribal Wars, titled HOME RULE will, come out in May 2023, continuing the story of how tribes on Dolvia overcome prejudice and bind together as a nation-state.

Stella Atrium is the author of the new book The Body Politic (The Tribal Wars Book 2)

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Interview with Brooke Sivendra, Author of Black Widow

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Black Widow?

This story is a love letter for fans of the James Thomas series. No matter what stories I write, my readers keep asking for more James Thomas, so I set this book a few years after the last JT book. Writing it was like catching up with old friends.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Black Widow, what would they be?

Skyfall by Adele.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Romantic Thrillers, of Christian Romantic Suspense - but always with a plot that twists and turns.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Ghost in the wires: My adventures as the world’s most wanted hacker by Kevin Mitnick & The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The action scene at the end. I love to write scenes that keep my readers on the edge of their seat.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

At the end of a writing session, I always finish a sentence mid-sentence so it’s easier to get started again the next day.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today - Benjamin Franklin

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I want the characters to feel like friends. I want my readers to miss them when the book is finished.

Brooke Sivendra is the author of the new book Black Widow: A James Thomas Novella

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Interview with Brian Kaufman, Author of A Shadow Melody

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write A Shadow Melody?

Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights was an influence, as was some pastoral poetry I’d been reading. But the story originated from childhood events. My father was a NASA scientist. Among other projects, he studied electromagnetic field theory, experimenting with odd Styrofoam shapes wrapped in copper wire. I helped wrap the shapes, feeding out wire while he fashioned tight, perfect rows. That stuck in my memory.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of A Shadow Melody, what would they be?

My novel takes place in 1920, and the music from that era has too much bounce. Maybe Kansas's "Portrait (He Knew)," if I had to choose a modern song.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read a lot of different genres, and that's reflected in my writing. No use sitting still. I think you can learn a lot by reading outside of your usual genres.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

John Gardner's "Mickelsson's Ghosts"/Phillip Fracassi's "Behold the Void"/Robert Crais's "Racing the Light"/Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love"

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The proposal. I really liked seeing my protagonists happy.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

My writing habits are work-oriented. Nothing unusual. The quirk is in the pages.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Philosophically, I'm stuck midway between existentialism and nihilism. I would probably make a solid noir character.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

The devices attributed to Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla in the book were real. Oddly, you can order electronic parts online to build Tesla's device, and I did so.

Brian Kaufman is the author of the new book A Shadow Melody

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New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | January 10

Hold on to the edge of your seat as we hunt for clues and solve the case with these exciting new mystery and thriller books for the week! There are so many bestselling authors with new novels for you to dive into this week including Elliot York, Brooke Sivendra, Kat Rosenfield, and many more. Enjoy your new mystery, thriller, and suspense novels. Happy reading!

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New Romance Books to Read | January 10

Looking to fall in love with some new romance reads? You’ll adore these exciting new novels! This week you can get your hands on books by bestselling authors Dale Mayer, Misha Bell, Tarina Deaton, and more. Enjoy your new romance books and happy reading!

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