Sign in with Facebook
Readers' Most Anticipated Books of March
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, March is the first truly hopeful month of the year. Spring is imminent, the days are getting longer, and some of the more courageous flowers bloom. Book nerds can tell you that it’s also a good month for reading, in that every month is a good month for reading. To prove our point, we've rounded up readers' most anticipated books of March.
New in March: Author Gina Chung debuts with a very buzzy debut concerning octopi in Sea Change. Victor LaValle delivers some stylish Old West horror with Lone Women. And Claire Jimenez chronicles an epic family road trip in What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez. Also on tap this month: Victorian spiritualism, guerrilla gardeners, and unsolicited advice for murderers.
Each month the Goodreads editorial team takes a look at the books that are being published in the U.S., readers' early reviews, and how many readers are adding these books to their Want to Read shelves (which is how we measure anticipation). We use the information to curate this list of hottest new releases.
Best Books of March
Author Ann Napolitano introduces college couple Julia Padavano and William Waters, who seem to have that most coveted of opportunities: a shot at real happiness. Julia’s family has folded William into their loving embrace when they learn some dark secrets about his past. In this anticipated follow-up to her 2020 bestseller, Dear Edward, Napolitano explores the years that follow with some uncomfortable questions: What are the limits of family loyalty? And can love really overcome anything?
Part family drama, part road trip story, and part unhinged comedy, this buzzy debut from author Claire Jimenez centers on a Puerto Rican family from Staten Island. Years after she vanished as a teenager, Ruthy Ramirez appears to have resurfaced—in a trashy reality-TV show called Catfight. Ruthy’s sisters hit the road to discover the truth, along with the family matriarch and her Holy Roller bestie. Advance readers are praising the book’s funny and insightful explorations of love, loss, and bedazzled thongs.
Read our interview with Jimenez here.
Read our interview with Jimenez here.
Veteran novelist Alex Finlay (The Night Shift) returns with this suspenseful chronicle of an unhappy reunion of friends. Twenty-five years after they escaped from an abusive group home for teens, three old friends are brought together for a rather pressing reason: Someone is trying to kill them. They’ll have to catch up fast to stay alive. Finlay’s latest plays out like a top-shelf thriller crossed with a dark coming-of-age story. Three of them, actually.
If you like threads of mystery and magical realism in your historical fiction, consider this innovative debut novel from London author Emilia Hart. Kate Ayres, fleeing from an abusive relationship, holes up in a run-down rural cottage inherited from her great aunt. The story flashes back to 1942, and again to 1619, as Kate discovers she’s part of a legacy of women with a deep connection to the land. Bonus trivia: The word weyward has some witchy historical significance.
Winner of this month’s unofficial Best Book Title Award, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is a good match for cozy mystery fans and admirers of the delightful Aunties series. The estimable Vera Wong, tea proprietor in San Francisco’s Chinatown, gets caught up in a murder mystery when a dead man appears on her shop floor. Why get involved? “Because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands.” Word.
In 2016, New York City author Victor LaValle’s acclaimed novella The Ballad of Black Tom worked some seriously subversive magic in the arena of Lovecraftian literary horror. Everyone should read that story. His new novel takes a similar route into Old West historical fiction with the tale of 1914 homesteader Adelaide Henry and her extremely mysterious steamer trunk. Adelaide is one of the “lone women” taking advantage of settler law. But she’s not precisely alone…
Read our interview with LaValle here.
Read our interview with LaValle here.
It’s said that world-famous spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire can conjure the spirits of murder victims. Can she help desperate Londoner Lenna Wickes find her sister’s killer? That’s the question in the new historical mystery from Sarah Penner (The Lost Apothecary), which features Victorian intrigue, metaphysical conjecture, and murder most foul. Advance readers are complimenting the book’s chilly atmospherics and twisty plotline loops. History nerds will dig the details on 19th-century London.
Thirtysomething Aurora (“Ro”) is adrift, metaphorically speaking. Her father disappeared when she was young, her boyfriend just left her to go to Mars (!), and the central relationship in her life is with Delores, the giant Pacific octopus at her mall aquarium job. When Delores is sold off to some rich guy, Ro takes action. Author Gina Chung finds real heart in this odd scenario, addressing themes of loneliness, inertia, childhood trauma, and the power of love no matter what your species.
From the Booker Prize–winning author of The Luminaries, this decidedly contemporary psychological thriller reflects our civilization’s current anxieties about long-term survival. When a community group of guerrilla gardeners crosses paths with a billionaire survival-bunker type, fragile alliances are forged. But when it comes to future planning, some ideologies are perhaps incompatible. Author Eleanor Catton digs deep into the resulting swirl of causes, effects, intentions, and consequences.
Artist Collette LeSange oversees an elite fine arts school for children in upstate New York. The years are taking their toll, and in Collette’s case, the years mean centuries. Long ago, her grandfather made Collette an immortal, like himself, and locked her into a future of eternal youth and cruel hunger. Author Jacqueline Holland makes literary use of old horror tropes in her ambitious debut novel; its real concerns are somewhere between metaphysical and philosophical.
For those who like traditional virtues in their historical fiction, this debut novel from Laura Spence-Ash follows one young woman’s coming of age during wartime. In the chaos of World War II, Beatrix Thompson is sent from London to the safety of America. Growing up with the wealthy Gregory clan, she forms deep bonds with her foster parents and siblings. When the war finally ends, Beatrix crosses the Atlantic once more, where old memories and a new life await.
This first novel from author Jenny Jackson offers an escapist journey into the lives of three young women in an old-money New York City family. Set in the One Percenter environs of Brooklyn Heights, three separate character studies are woven into the fabric of life among the wealthy, privileged, and deeply flawed. Advance readers are praising the book’s deft blend of high drama, affectionate comedy, and overall heart. Rich people are people, too.
A nonfiction exploration perfectly timed for our post-truth era, Who Gets Believed? digs into the psychology, sociology, and history of its title question. Author Dina Nayeri (The Ungrateful Refugee) breaks down various case studies, both personal and clinical, with an eye toward the issue of believability. From immigration offices to hospital emergency rooms, we’re invited to wonder along with the author: Whom do we tend to believe, and why?
Author, scientist, and urban ethnographer Matthew Desmond specializes in asking the really uncomfortable questions. His 2016 book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, won the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction. In his new and rigorously researched report, Desmond comes to some painful conclusions about how the comfort of America’s middle class depends upon the exploitation of the nation’s poorest people. On the bright side, he has some suggestions on future changes to public policy.
Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!
Check out more March book coverage here:
Comments Showing 1-46 of 46 (46 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
♡ Ruby Isabella Banks ♡
(new)
Mar 02, 2023 04:37PM
Ngl, I haven't heard of any of these books.
reply
|
flag
Finlay's looks appealing to me as a newbie to crime fiction. I tend to prefer police procedurals but will read others occasionally. The seance one looks promising.
Can’t wait for Alex Finlay’s book loved the night shift
Chang's book seems a bit like Remarkably Bright Creatures (to which I would give my highest recommendation...one of my new faves) since both feature an octopus--not a common animal found in fiction--as a main character. Still, I will give Chang's book a try.
Nothing that I really want to read. Although , I read Matthew Desmond's previous book, Evicted, I don't find any desire to read his new one.
I’m super excited for Lone Women! Whoot!
I hadn’t realized that Poverty, by America was by Desmond. Evicted was such a good read, I’m excited to read this new book!
‘The comfort of america’s middle class depends upon the exploitation of the nation’s poorest’? Who woulda thunk?? So excited to read about this totally not obviously fact!
These all sound IMMENSELY interesting! Loved hearing about "Beyond That, the Sea"
Love to come on here to find people happily taking time out of their lives to share that they won't be reading any of them. Thank you for sharing, folks.
Finlay’s work has been solid; so that will read for sure. The title by Nayeri looks interesting.
Some of these books look very interesting. Can’t wait to read them.
I’m waiting for may… I think may…THE SUN AND THE STAR BY RICK RIORDANNNNNNNNNNN!!!
Queen Elsa wrote: "‘The comfort of america’s middle class depends upon the exploitation of the nation’s poorest’? Who woulda thunk?? So excited to read about this totally not obviously fact!" I live abroad now and am increasingly aware of how most of the things that I take for granted were provided for by an invisible underclass. My neighbor, an Ethiopian, has me reading Cobalt Red. It is about how people in the Congo work to dig hetoroginte out of the soil since it has cobalt in it. The future of electric vehicle will demand increasing amounts of it, but the people make 2-3 dollars a day and are subjected to hazardous chemicals.
No mention of T. Kingfisher's new one?
I’m reading Weyward now and it is wonderful!
The Highest Bidder by Sara Cate! I'm so excited for it to almost be here!
"The God of Endings" sounds intriguing. Considering it is a debut, I might wait for other readers' opinions first, though.
Donna Leon’s 32nd Commisario Brunetti, So Shall You Reap, is coming out in a week. That’s all the new stuff I need for March!
Reviewers reading ARCs😊
Honest question: Why are people commenting about the books they're not going to read? Or that you haven't heard of these books? You could literally just scroll by. You've heard of them now.
Katharine wrote: "Chang's book seems a bit like Remarkably Bright Creatures (to which I would give my highest recommendation...one of my new faves) since both feature an octopus--not a common animal ..."Octopus themes are actually really on trend right now for whatever reason! If you listen to any book podcasts it's been a topic of discussion lately. Strange how random things become popular like that
Looking forward to Pineapple Street. Hello Beautiful sounds interesting too!
I am excited to read Sea Change - as a scuba diver I have an obsession with Octopi - and reading. Bringing both together is a gift from the God of Books.
Not at all interested. In any of them.
A note to all of the sourpusses saying they're not interested in any of these books: we don't care.
Allie wrote: "Honest question: Why are people commenting about the books they're not going to read? Or that you haven't heard of these books? You could literally just scroll by. You've heard of them now."
While I hadn't heard of any of them, I have now, and am adding
How is The Kind Worth Saving not on this list? 🤔
Ruby wrote: "Ngl, I haven't heard of any of these books."Henrik wrote: "And I won’t be reading a single one 🫠"
Jamie wrote: "Nothing I’ll read tbh …"
Eileen wrote: "Not at all interested. In any of them."
Jennifer wrote: "Not a single one for me."
Roundup of people the world apparently revolves around.
I am very much looking forward to reading the following recommendations: fiction (Sea Change) and non-fiction (Poverty, By America).
Kei wrote: "Ruby wrote: "Ngl, I haven't heard of any of these books."Henrik wrote: "And I won’t be reading a single one 🫠"
Jamie wrote: "Nothing I’ll read tbh …"
Eileen wrote: "Not at all interested. In an..."
🤣😂🤣😂
I keep telling myself not to add anymore books to my list. Then something always pops up and well, I keep adding. 😊. I just wish that series are marked differently. If it has to be read in order vs the number of books for this one character in any order.
Looking forward to, what have we done.
Chang’s book seems like almost a redo. I don’t even have to say why, but The Pineapple Street is already in my TBR.
Already have several on my want to read list and will be adding Weyward! Sounds intriguing!
Matthew Desmond is an amazing author can’t wait to read his new book :)
