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When I posted My Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2016 list a few months ago, I lamented that I hadn’t been very good at picking winners in the past (I ended up loving only one book from my Summer preview and big, fat zero from my Spring preview). Well, I’m thrilled to say that I bucked that trend with my Fall post…loving 4 out of 10 books. Cheers to hoping for an even better success rate with my winter picks!
This list does NOT include debuts, as they will get their very own post on January 3, 2017 (and there are some that I’m super excited about).
January
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian (January 10, Doubleday)
Bohjalian, author of The Guest Room (review), is one of my “I’ll read whatever he/she writes” authors and reading his seemingly annual January release is fast becoming a late December tradition for me.
[…] a spine-tingling novel of lies, loss, and buried desire – the mesmerizing story of a wife and mother who vanishes from her bed late one night.
Human Acts by Han Kang (January 17, Hogarth)
I missed Kang’s internationally bestselling novel (The Vegetarian) last year, but am intrigued by the South Korea setting of this short book.
In the midst of a violent student uprising in South Korea, a young boy named Dong-ho is shockingly killed.
The story of this tragic episode unfolds in a sequence of interconnected chapters as the victims and the bereaved encounter suppression, denial, and the echoing agony of the massacre.
Valley of the Gods by Alexandra Wolfe (January 17, Simon & Schuster)
This nonfiction title hits my “gossip-y business books” hot button.
In Valley of the Gods, Wolfe follows three of these upstarts who have “stopped out” of college and real life to live and work in Silicon Valley in the hopes of becoming the next Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk.
February
A Separation by Katie Kitamura (February 7, Riverhead Books)
I’m a sucker for books that break down the psychology of marriage and Rebecca Schinsky mentioned on Book Riot’s Holiday Recommendations podcast that she was excited about this one.
A mesmerizing, psychologically taut novel about a marriage’s end and the secrets we all carry.
Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller (February 7, Tin House Books)
Another novel about marriage…plus, I loved Fuller’s 2015 debut, Our Endless Numbered Days (review).
Sexy and whip-smart, Swimming Lessons holds the Coleman family up to the light, exposing the mysterious and complicated truths of a passionate and troubled marriage.
The Brain Defense by Kevin Davis (February 28, Penguin Press)
Courtroom drama and investigation of how the brain works? Yes, please! Kate at Parchment Girl had this book on her 50 Amazing Books to get Excited About This Winter list.
Thought-provoking and brilliantly crafted, The Brain Defense marries a murder mystery complete with colorful characters and courtroom drama with a sophisticated discussion of how our legal system has changed and must continue to change as we broaden our understanding of the human mind.
Waking Lions by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen (February 28, Little Brown)
This one is sort of my random shot in the dark. I know nothing about the author or the book, but the premise intrigued me.
Neurosurgeon Eitan Green has the perfect life–married to a beautiful police officer and father of two young boys. Then, speeding along a deserted moonlit road after an exhausting hospital shift, he hits someone. Seeing that the man, an African migrant, is beyond help, he flees the scene.
March
All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg (March 7, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
I loved Attenberg’s 2015 novel, Saint Mazie (review), and Book Riot’s Rebecca Schinsky is already raving about her latest.
From the New York Times best-selling author of The Middlesteins comes a wickedly funny novel about a thirty-nine-year-old single, childfree woman who defies convention as she seeks connection.
The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel (March 7, Riverhead Books)
Kerry at Entomology of a Bookworm said this dysfunctional families novel (total sucker for these too!) is “totally F’d up, yet compelling.”
The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart.
Our Short History by Lauren Grodstein (March 21, Algonquin Books)
Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You (review), blurbed this novel and that’s all the convincing I need.
[…] when Jacob’s father, Dave, found out Karen was pregnant and made it clear that fatherhood wasn’t in his plans, Karen walked out of the relationship, never telling Dave her intention was to raise their child alone. But now Jake is asking to meet his dad, and with good reason: Karen is dying.
*All book summaries (in block quotes) are from Goodreads.
What Winter 2017 books are you looking forward to?
i AM SOOOOO looking forward to Valley of the Dolls. It is on my must read list!
I love those super juicy business books!
I’m anxious to get to The Sleepwalker too.
I think a lot of people are – at least judging by the blogs I follow!
Swimming Lessons seems to be everywhere already… maybe BOMC released it early? The Roanoke Girls looks good, too, and if Celeste Ng blurbed Our Short History, it’s going on my list!
I’m also looking forward to Kitamura and Fuller, but especially Attenberg — loved her last two novels.
The Roanoke Girls sounds intriguing. I’m adding to my list. Swimming Lessons, too!
I really, really loved Fuller’s debut, so I have high hopes for Swimming Lessons!
So many good ones to pick from! I’m DYING to read “Swimming Lessons” for sure!
Hope it lives up to Endless Numbered Days!
I’ve been an Attenburg disciple ever since she wrote about Liz Phair in 2015.
Amanda @ A Bookshelf Monstrosity
I hadn’t heard about this!! I just loved Saint Mazie. Still need to read The Middlesteins.
I’m super excited for Swimming Lessons!
Me too! Glad to see it was picked up by BOTM!
I almost put Sleepwalkers on my list! Chris Bohjalian is an author I have been wanting to try for over a year. His subject matters always sound interesting. Great top ten.
He’s fantastic…my favorite of his is an old one…The Double Bind.
I look forward to reading Michael Chabon’s, “Moonglow” which has top notch reviews from all sources I have read.
I’d like to get to that sometime too..it’s a 2016 release it looks like I won’t be able to read this year.
Another by Bohjalian already? I haven’t read The Guest Room yet! A Separation might be a possibility for the Literary Wives club. And I just finished reading Swimming Lessons. I won’t say a word (I know a lot of people are anticipating it), but I liked it. 🙂
I know, right?! Back to back Januarys..he’s starting to become an annual Xmas read for me.
Glad to hear the good news about Swimming Lessons – it’s sitting on my Kindle, but have January stuff to read first.
Well, I’ve definitely added some of these to my list; thanks, Sarah (I think)! 🙂 I’m dying to start the new Bohjalian novel, but I know I’ll speed through it quickly so I’m trying to hold off for a bit. I’m also really looking forward to the new Susan Perabo in March!
Totally looking forward to the Perabo…it’ll be on my 2017 Debuts list, which I’ll post in January.
You ALWAYS have wonderful, informative posts…thank you.
I am not familiar with any of these books, but I will check them out.
Have a good week.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My A Month of Faves
Thank you 🙂
Glad you posted this! I’m looking forward to Swimming Lessons – Book of the Month club had it as an exclusive this month and it was definitely a temptation to join….
I saw that!
Oo, The Brain Defense looks excellent! I’m making note.
Hope it pans out – I feel like nonfiction like that is always risky!
The Roanoke Girls is an anticipated one for me as well!
Yay! We can compare thoughts on exactly how F’d up it turns out to be!
A Separation is not normally something I would read but I found myself putting it on my TBR out of sheer curiosity. Sounds like I need to add The Roanoke Girls to my list too. Thanks for bringing these new ones to my attention. 🙂
You’re very welcome! I feel like Roanoke Girls could be risky, but I trust the other blogger who has read it.
I’ve got Swimming Lessons and Our Short History in the TBR stack – looking forward to both. I really, really want to get my hands on the Attenberg.
Nice list. I should try Human Acts (since I missed the Vegetarian too) and I’m looking forward to Lincoln in the Bardo from George Sanders in February. Enjoy.
I know so many people are excited about the Saunders. I haven’t read him yet.
Interesting list – so many different types of books. I didn’t like The Vegetarian by Han Kang so it’ll be interesting to see what her next novel is like. Can’t wait to see what you think about it!
I’ve heard so many mixed reports on The Vegetarian and I’ve almost picked it up multiple times. Just haven’t yet.
Wow, all of these were already on my list or they are now! Thanks for the great recommendations!
You’re welcome!
I always love Bohjalian! I just finished reading Human Acts. It was very different than I expected. The writing is beautiful, and I learned so much about a period of history I knew little about. I definitely recommend it!
Good to hear!
Agreed about Chris Bohjalian. I’ve been hooked ever since I read Midwives.
Amanda @ A Bookshelf Monstrosity
I’ve heard some good early reports about Sleepwalker!
Not too surprising, but we have some overlap! I’m also ready to read Paul Auster’s newest and Sarah Dunant’s about the Borgia family. Talk about wealthy and behaving badly!
What a great list! I’m trying to make a list of winter release books, and it’s a bit overwhelming. I’m with you on Bohjalian — I’ll read anything he writes — and The Brain Defense sounds right up my alley.
Ohhh I hadn’t heard that Han Kang had another book coming out, that’s great! Can’t wait for Swimming Lessons, either. 🙂
I never even read her last one, so I’d like to try this if I hear good things!
I just took out my agenda to write down a bunch of these titles. Valley of the Gods sounds amazing, definitely looking into that one. I’m with you on anything Bohjalian writes and you know I love dysfunctional families so must read The Roanoke Girls.
As for Swimming Lessons…I like books about marriage but I really wasn’t a huge fan of Our Endless Numbered Days so I’m torn.
I’m in the opposite situation from you – I usually do a good job of picking winners, but loved few of the books from my last post. Hopefully you’re good luck will continue and mine will come back in the new year! I’m interested in The Brain Defense as well and while I’m not excited about the Roanoke Sisters (sounds too dark for me!), I actually thought of you reading the description. Hopefully we’re both right and it’ll be your kind of book 🙂
Haha – wonder what that says about me that people think of me when they hear about dark, F’d up books! It is one of my preferred reading categories lately 🙂