Hi friends,
2022 is going to be an absolute belter for books and I am delighted to share a selection for all tastes, a smorgasbord of flavours and genres to suit all palettes.
Pre-orders are the thing that keeps the industry going - for new authors it is a vote of confidence, a signal to bookshops to indicate the value in stocking them, positioning them on tables for you to find them. It tells publishers that they should invest in marketing and push the book out to more people which makes a huge difference for authors and best selling lists.
So if you see a book and you think, golly that sounds like something I’d love, then pledge to support it if you can. Pool together with a group of pals and get a selection to share about, spreading the cost.
Ok, here we go…
If you loved Sorrow and Bliss from Meg Mason then you’ll love this debut from Rebecca Wait…
I’m Sorry You Feel That Way - Rebecca Wait
Due out: 8th July 2022
This book is already one of my faves of 2022 and I am confident I will feel that way through the whole twelve months. An absolute stonker of a debut from Wait, it’s the story of a family but mostly its a story of the women in the family - their behaviours, their relationships, their thoughts and actions.
It tells the story primarily of Alice and Hanna, twins who are no longer close, the reasons that become clear to the reader over time. We learn about them individually as well as together, understanding how they think and feel away from each other and the impact they have on each other when together. As this is a story of women, we learn about their mother, overbearing and dominant at the beginning, yet humanised as we understand her earlier years and her relationship with her sister.
This book shouldn’t fool you - it is funny. Darkly so. It tackles difficulties in a way that you relate to, laugh at the idea of, feel close to. In the same way Mason encourages you to move close to Martha in Sorrow and Bliss, Wait creates and builds empathy in moments where the behaviours emitted are difficult to digest. She writes with flaws in mind - as all authors should - recognising imperfections in perfect way.
Why not pre-order your copy from Bookshop.org?
If you loved Olive from Emma Gannon, then you’ll love Nell Frizzell’s fiction debut…
Square One - Nell Frizzell
Due out: 7th July 2022
As expected from Frizzell, this fiction debut is poignant and sharp, hilarious and relatable. It tells the story of Hannah, who at 30 goes backwards (or a perceived trajectory based on societal expectations) - living at home with her dad (who is hilariously navigating Tinder), out of work, out of a relationship and flailing. She’s anyone who has had everything happen at once in their thirties and who, after being told she should have everything solved by this point, has nothing figured out.
I loved how this book explores relationships outside of the romantic (although do not fret, there are some sexy moments too!) with the re-calibration of the father-daughter dynamic when you are both adults, the rebuilding of friendships and the important relationship; the one Hannah has with herself outside of the long term romantic partnership she had previously found herself in.
Frizzell puts Hannah at the heart of the story and what I really loved was how her evolution was the key driver, as opposed to a love interest driving the plot forward. By the end of this book, I adored Hannah and was rooting for her to succeed. I think you will too.
Why not pre-order your copy from WHSmiths?
If you loved Small Pleasures from Clare Chambers, then you’ll adore Alex Hyde’s debut…
Violets - Alex Hyde
Due out: 3rd February 2022
I devoured this book in hours thanks to its engaging prose and fully formed characters. Violet, two Violets in fact, who live separate lives during the Second World War. Set during the dying days of the war, this beautiful debut tells the story of loss and motherhood through two very different lenses for each of our Violet’s, with one living in the Welsh Valleys and grappling with the loss of a baby and future procreation, and another who is serving in the war on the frontline, carrying a baby out of wedlock and removed from the identity she sees for herself.
Their stories, both unique and yet the same in many ways, slowly intertwine as the story progresses, as their stories progress, with a finish that is both unexpected but deeply satisfying as an invested reader.
I couldn’t put this book down and when I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about these two women. They are multi-dimensional, complex and rich in detail; I became close to them and invested in them. Hyde writes beautifully, with all of the rage, hope, optimism and defeat you want when digesting the complexity of the female experience. A triumph.
Why not pre-order your copy from Hive.org?
If you loved One Stop from Laura Jane Williams then you’ll love Justin Myers new rom com…
The Fake Up - Justin Myers
Due out: 7th April 2022
If you have ever read any of The Guyliner blog posts, you’ll be familiar with Myers’ style and tone, like a pal chatting to you over a glass of vino and it’s no different in his most recent fiction. The Fake Up is the story of Dylan and Flo, a young and ambitious couple who are struggling to achieve their dreams individually and collectively. Many of us will relate to the challenges faced in your 20’s; knowing yourself and who you are in a romantic partnership, knowing what you want to be doing but unsure or unable to get to it, creating balance in times where there is none. The flame of young love burns strong, the only problem for Dylan and Flo is that they ended their relationship months ago and so now only exists in the shadows. And as with anything that is hidden from those you love (the very same people who were happy to see the relationship change), then it all inevitably starts to unravel as the lies gets deeper and more insidious.
Myers writes a hilarious tale of romantic love (and let’s be real - red blooded, young, sexy things), chasing dreams and the evolution of all kinds of relationships. It takes us through the growth of a young person, how as they change and the surroundings around them too. I loved it - it’s a true beach read in the best of ways. You’ll have flipped to final page before you know it whilst sipping on a margarita and looking out to sea.
Why not pre-order your copy from Waterstones?
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