The Dream Builders

By Oindrila Mukherjee

Release date: January 10, 2023

The Dream Builders tells the story of Maneka Roy, who returns to India after years of living in the US to mourn the loss of her mother. Well, the time has changed, and she can’t just get a grip on the booming city where her father now lives. It’s absolutely nothing like she remembers from her childhood: the city is blooming and sparkling bright, yet, it’s full of things that are not as they are. The book is written from the perspectives of ten different characters, and it’s a fascinating read about all sorts of topics—from class divisions and constantly evolving society to the impact of globalization on people and their lifestyles. There’s plenty of love and bitterness to emphasize, too. A glimpse of a city built on aspirations.

How to Sell a Haunted House

By Grady Hendrix

Release date: January 17, 2023

No childhood is the same, but there’s one thing we all have in common: the connection with our parents never fades, whether they are still alive or not. This is something that Louise finds out when she has to return to Charleston to deal with her childhood home. She also has to work out how to deal with her brother Mark, given that they are as close as strangers. Yet, they have to face not just the controversial legacy of their parents—their childhood home. Yet, it doesn’t seem to be willing to be sold. How to Sell a Haunted House is full of disturbing events and ominous signs. So is selling the only way, or maybe burning it down is a better idea? We implore you to read and see for yourself.

The Daughters of Izdihar

By Hadeer Elsbai

Release date: January 10, 2023
The Daughters of Izdihar is the first book in a new duology written by Hadeer Elsbai. Set in a magical world that reminds very much of Egypt, the story tells us about Nehal and Giorgina, who are as different as they can be both in their status and upbringing but also very similar as they can wield forbidden elemental magic. These two women will have to fight for their freedom and rights amid all sorts of events, from political upheaval to war threats, while trying to keep their magical powers safe from those who see them as a threat. Apart from being a bewitching fantasy, it’s a story about women and their rights, their quest to understand themselves, and a complex society facing many changes.

River Sing Me Home 

By Eleanor Shearer

Release date: January 31, 2023
River Sing Me Home is set in Barbados in 1834. It starts with the master of the Providence plantation gathering his slaves and announcing that they are now free. But in truth, they are not: they must serve him for another six years. And that’s not what Rachel’s going to do, not for the world. She will run and look for her children—the five who survived birth and were sold. If this time you are ready to dive into a complex and painful topic and want to read a fiction book that is based on real historical events, this one is for you. River Sing Me Home will tell you all about all the hardships the formerly enslaved mother had to face on her dangerous journey from Barbados to Trinidad.

Lunar Love 

By Lauren Kung Jessen 

Release date: January 10, 2023

If you are into a good romance, Lunar Love is your best bet this January. Meet Olivia, who’s about to take over her grandmother’s matchmaking business based on the Chinese zodiac. Equally excited and terrified, she’s just trying to keep the business successful until she finds out that she’ll have to compete with ZodiaCupid, a numbers-based matchmaking app, and its unbelievably handsome owner and creator, Bennett O’Brien. Oh, they are definitely not a match made in heaven. So fasten your seatbelts for a bit of scheming, a little courtship, an insight into the history of the Chinese zodiac, and a lot about how family legacies shape us and influence our choices and decisions.