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Every month, I make pretty accurate (80-100%) predictions about which books will be featured by Book of the Month (BOTM). I take a lot of time to research upcoming releases, analyze past selections, and choose books that are solid bets.
So far this year, we have seen more literary fiction and fewer fantasy picks. The last two months have felt like the old BOTM, before they started groveling to get Booktok/Gen Z’s attention. And there is a ton of great literary fiction publishing in March!
Update: Based on hints, Wild Dark Shore, Count My Lies, and Our Infinite Fates are definite March selections. From the reel hint, the stack of six looks to be (starting from the top) Count My Lies, Our Infinite Fates, [red-ish/yellow book with dark cover], Wild Dark Shore, Promise Me Sunshine, and [pink/red-ish book with red or pink cover]. My guesses for the third book are Malinalli, All the Other Mothers Hate Me; Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things; or The Haunting of Room 904. I think the bottom book is likely Liquid: A Love Story by Mariam Rahmani.
I think the books will most likely drop on Wednesday, February 26th or Thursday, February 27th. BOTM did announce that the Book of the Year winner would be announced on February 26th. I am guessing books will also drop then or within the next two to three days.
Contemporary & Literary Fiction
I wavered whether to include a few books but ultimately ruled them out, including The Antidote by Karen Russell, Goddess Complex by Sanjena Sathian, Our Beautiful Boys by Sameer Pandya, Lucky Night by Eliza Kennedy, Animal Instinct by Amy Shearn, and The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji. I would like to see Woodworking by Emily St. James, but I am afraid it will be considered political by BOTM, and therefore, not chosen. If there is an early (April) release, I think it will be Heartwood by Amity Gaige.
Broken Country
Clare Leslie Hall
Synopsis: A love triangle unearths dangerous, deadly secrets from the past. A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.
Debut
A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl
Nanda Reddy
Synopsis: A girl takes on a series of identities to survive, shrouding herself in layers of secrets, until years later when she is forced to reckon with her past. This striking debut transports the reader from the sugar cane fields of Guyana to the world of immigrant laborers in Miami to the affluent suburbs of Atlanta. Nanda Reddy takes us on a wrenching journey of assimilation, survival, and reinvention that explores the very construct of identity and the resilience of the human spirit.
Debut
We Pretty Pieces of Flesh
Colwill Brown
Synopsis: An exuberant and ribald debut novel about three adolescent girls, as sweetly vulnerable as they are cunning and tough, coming of age in a gritty postindustrial town in nineties Yorkshire, England. We Pretty Pieces of Flesh tracks hard-edged lives and makes them sing, turning one overlooked and forgotten town into the very center of the world.
Debut
Liquid: A Love Story
Mariam Rahmani
Synopsis: The Marriage Plot meets The Idiot in this brilliant debut, which tells the story of a young Muslim scholar stuck in the mire of adjunct professorship in Los Angeles who decides to give up her career in academia and marry rich, committing herself to 100 dates in the course of a single summer. By midsummer reality hits, taking her—and her project—to Tehran.
Debut
Jane & Dan at the End of the World
Colleen Oakley
Synopsis: Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise.
Everybody Says It’s Everything
Xhenet Aliu
Synopsis: Twins growing up in America in 1999 unravel larger truths about identity and sibling bonds when one gets wrapped up in the war in Kosovo, in this unforgettable novel from the award-winning author of Brass.
Wild Dark Shore
Charlotte McConaghy
Synopsis: A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon. A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty, and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.
Repeat Author
Tilt
Emma Pattee
Synopsis: Set over the course of one day, a heart-racing debut about a woman facing the unimaginable, determined to find safety. Annie is 9 months pregnant and shopping for a crib when a massive earthquake hits. With no way to reach her husband, no phone or money, and a city left in chaos, there’s nothing to do but walk. Making her way across the wreckage of Portland, Annie experiences human desperation and kindness. A propulsive debut, Tilt is a primal scream of a novel about the disappointments and desires we all carry, and what each of us will do for the people we love.
Debut | Early Release
Historical Fiction
I considered a few March books that did not make ultimately make it into my predictions: The Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner, Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine by Callie Collins, Follow Me to Africa by Penny Haw, Stone Angels by Helena Rho, and These Days by Lucy Caldwell.
Malinalli
Veronica Chapa
Synopsis: An imaginative retelling of the triumphs and sorrows of one of the most controversial and misunderstood women in Mexico’s history and mythology, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow and Zoraida Córdova’s The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.
Debut
The Women on Platform Two
Laura Anthony
Synopsis: In 1970s Dublin, all forms of contraception are strictly forbidden, but an intrepid group of women will risk everything to change that in this sweeping, timely novel inspired by a remarkable and little-known true story.
Debut
The Expert of Subtle Revisions
Kirsten Menger-Anderson
Synopsis: A thrilling historical mystery about a young woman searching for her father, a young man trying to solve an impossible problem, and the quest for the power to transcend time. Kirsten Menger-Anderson’s beautiful meditation on time, love, and obsession shows us how we never truly know what happened in the past, and often how the past eerily mirrors the future.
Debut
One Good Thing
Georgia Hunter
Synopsis: From the New York Times–bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones, an unforgettable story of hardship and hope, courage and resilience, that follows one young woman’s journey through war-torn Italy.
The Story She Left Behind
Patti Callahan Henry
Synopsis: Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.
Repeat Author
Romance
I also waffled about a couple of books, primarily The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffith, Cover Story by Celia Laskey, Early Thirties by Josh Duboff. I think it is unlikely that we will see Abby Jimenez’s Say You’ll Remember Me this month.
Summer in the City
Alex Aster
Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster comes her adult debut novel—a swoony, fast-paced rom-com set in New York City in which a screenwriter and a sexy tech CEO go from lovers to enemies and back to lovers again…
Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder
Bellamy Rose
Synopsis: A spoiled heiress must investigate her grandmother’s death in order to gain back her trust fund, all while discovering how to be her own person and maybe even in falling in love in this rom-com meets murder mystery.
Debut
It All Comes Back to You
Melissa Weissner
Synopsis: An absolutely unforgettable and heart-shattering romance, perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, Lucy Score and Carley Fortune, that does keeping secrets destroy true love?
Repeat Author
Promise Me Sunshine
Cara Bastone
Synopsis: Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not.
Repeat Author
Thrillers, Mysteries, & Suspense
I also waffled about a couple of books, primarily Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi, A Mother’s Love by Sara Blaedel, The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron Currie, and Retreat by Krysten Ritter (previous author), but ultimately left them off my prediction list. As far as repeat authors go, I think Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn is less likely to be a pick than The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey. However, BOTM has not been continuing many series. If there is an early April release, I think it will likely be The Last Session by Julia Bartz.
Count My Lies
Sophie Stava
Synopsis: A read-in-one-night suspense thriller narrated by a compulsive liar whose little white lies allow her to enter into the life and comfort of a wealthy married couple who are harboring much darker secrets themselves. For the millions of us still chasing those gone girls, this is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Lucy Foley, and Laura Dave.
Debut
Killer Potential
Hannah Deitch
Synopsis: Darkly funny and provocative, this edge-of-your-seat thrill ride follows two unlikely fugitives—an SAT tutor who finds her rich employers brutally murdered and the bound woman she frees from their mansion—an irresistible debut novel perfect for fans of The Guest and My Sister, the Serial Killer.
Debut
All the Other Mothers Hate Me
Sarah Harman
Synopsis: Single, broke and unfulfilled after the humiliating end to her girl-band career, Florence Grimes has only one reason to get out of bed each day: her ten-year-old son Dylan. But then Alfie Risby, her son’s bully and the heir to a vast frozen-food empire, mysteriously vanishes during a class trip, and Dylan becomes the prime suspect.
Debut
Notes on Surviving the Fire
Christine Murphy
Synopsis: When Sarah’s only friend in her graduate program is found dead of an alleged heroin overdose, she is forced back into the orbit of the man in their department who assaulted her. A hurtling ride of a novel—darkly funny and propulsive.
Debut
You Deserve to Know
Aggie Blum Thompson
Synopsis: Neighbors Gwen, Aimee, and Lisa share more than playdates and coffee mornings on their tranquil street in East Bethesda. They confide their deepest secrets, navigate the challenges of motherhood together, and provide a support system that seems unbreakable. But when Gwen’s husband is found murdered after one of their weekly Friday night dinners, the peaceful quiet of their cul-de-sac shatters. The seemingly idyllic world of the three close-knit mom friends becomes a web of deception, betrayal, and revenge.
Salt Water
Katy Hays
Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters comes an electrifying thriller about an opulent family retreat to Italy that’s shattered by the resurfacing of a decades-old crime.
Repeat Author
The Unlucky Ones
Hannah Morrissey
Synopsis: A police transcriber-turned-novelist returns to Black Harbor to help solve the case of her ex-husband’s murder in the next riveting Black Harbor, featuring the return of characters from Hannah Morrissey’s breakout debut, Hello, Transcriber.
Repeat Author | Early Release
Horror & Gothic Fiction
In addition to the three books below, I also considered The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley.
Nowhere
Allison Gunn
Synopsis: Mare of Easttown meets The Outsider in this spine-tingling and twisty debut about a series of disappearances in a small, fundamentalist town and what one broken family must do to remain together as dark forces close in.
Debut
O Sinners!
Nicole Cuffy
Synopsis: A young journalist, reeling from loss, investigates a mysterious cult in the California redwoods, only to be drawn in by its charismatic leader in this addictive novel that asks why people give up control and what it takes, ultimately, to find one’s place in the world.
The Haunting of Room 904
Erika T. Wurth
Synopsis: From the author of White Horse comes a terrifying and resonant novel about a woman who uses her unique gift to learn the truth about her sister’s death.
Repeat Author
Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Magical Realism
I wavered whether to include a few books but ultimately ruled them out, including Luminous by Silvia Park, Dissolution by Nicholas Binge, A Touch of Shadows by Jessica Thorne, Rooms for Vanishing by Stuart Nadler, and Elphie by Gregory Maguire. If there is an early (April) release, I think it will either be The Sirens by Emilia Hart or Enchantra by Kaylie Smith.
Blood Beneath the Snow
Alexandra Kennington
Synopsis: A heart-pounding romantasy following a rebellious princess who must compete to the death against her siblings for the crown to ensure justice, while fighting her feelings for her country’s most powerful enemy by debut author Alexandra Kennington.
Debut
The River Has Roots
Amal El-Mohtar
Synopsis: The hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award winning author Amal El-Mohtar. Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.
Debut
The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree
India Hayford
Synopsis: Disguised by years in exile and a name she found on a gravestone, an unconventional young woman returns to her childhood home in rural 1967 Arkansas in this hauntingly visceral Southern tale of desperate choices, found family, folk magic and noisy ghosts.
Debut
The Dream Hotel
Laila Lalami
Synopsis: From Laila Lalami—the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist and a “maestra of literary fiction” (NPR)—comes a riveting and utterly original novel about one woman’s fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance.
Repeat Author
Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things
Breanne Randall
Synopsis: A cursed witch must team up with a rival coven leader to save her small town in this atmospheric tale of magic, love, and self-discovery—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic.
Repeat Author
Young & New Adult
Our Infinite Fates
Laura Steven
Synopsis: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets This is How You Lose The Time War in this fantastical love story that defies death as two souls reincarnate through the centuries. They’ve loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They’ve killed each other in every one.
Oathbound
Tracy Deonn
Synopsis: Tracy Deonn’s #1 New York Times bestselling Legendborn Cycle continues in the sensational third book about a dazzling contemporary fantasy world that blends Southern Black Girl Magic with secret societies and the legend of King Arthur!
Repeat Author
Short Stories & Essays
Sucker Punch
Scaachi Koul
Synopsis: The long-awaited follow-up from one of the most original and hilarious voices writing today. Sucker Punch is about what happens when the life you thought you’d be living radically changes course, everything you thought you knew about the world and yourself has tilted on its axis, and you have to start forging a new path forward. Scaachi employs her biting wit to interrogate her previous belief that fighting is the most effective tool for progress.
Repeat Author
Guatemalan Rhapsody
Jared Lemus
Synopsis: A vibrant debut story collection—poignant, unflinching, and immersive—masterfully moving between sharp wit and profound tenderness, Guatemalan Rhapsody offers a kaleidoscopic portrait of an ever-changing country, the people who claim it as home, and those who no longer do.
Debut
Nonfiction
I considered a few March books that did not make ultimately make it into my predictions: Free: My Search for Meaning by Amanda Knox and Care and Feeding: A Memoir by Laurie Woolever.
The Tell: A Memoir
Amy Griffin
Synopsis: An astonishing memoir that explores how far we will go to protect ourselves, and the healing made possible when we face our secrets and begin to share our stories.
Debut
First Born Girls: A Memoir
Bernice L. McFadden
Synopsis: From award-winning author and creative writing professor at Tulane University comes an intimate and powerful memoir exploring inherited trauma, family secrets, and the enduring bonds of love between mothers and daughters.
Debut
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection
John Green
Synopsis: John Green, the #1 bestselling author of The Anthropocene Reviewed and a passionate advocate for global healthcare reform, tells a deeply human story illuminating the fight against the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
Repeat Author
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