The best new books to read this week: Thick, An Anonymous Girl, and more
Here’s the thing: I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I’m sure they’re highly motivating and work wonders for some people, but I’ve never gotten on board; there’s too much pressure. But I am on board with reading resolutions. If you’re resolving to read more books in 2019, this list of the best new books of the week is the perfect place to start.
Every January, an increased number of dark mysteries and thrillers hit bookshelves. Winter is the perfect time of year to pick up something especially twisted, and these titles don’t disappoint. Along with them are nonfiction essay collections and memoirs that you’ll feel deeply.
Here are the 11 best new books to read this week:
1An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, out January 8th
The Wife Between Us was one of our favorite books of 2018, so it’s no surprise we loved An Anonymous Girl. This psychological thriller about a woman who signs up for a psychology study takes some seriously dark twists and turns, and you’ll love every minute of it.
2Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom, out January 8th
Challenge yourself to read at least one book of essays a month this year—and start with Thick. It’s a brilliant, witty, and thought-provoking collection about race, class, beauty, and body image.
3Looker by Laura Sims, out January 8th
Looker is on the shorter side, but it’s wholly satisfying. You’ll read this dark, suspenseful character study about a woman obsessed with her beautiful actress neighbor in one sitting.
4Hollywood’s Eve: Eve Babitz and the Secret History of L.A. by Lili Anolik, out January 8th
Whether you’re new to Eve Babitz’s writing or discovered her just recently, you’ll devour this intimate biography of Hollywood’s former “it” girl.
5The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh, out January 8th
Sophie Mackintosh’s debut is heralded as “The Handmaid’s Tale meets The Virgin Suicides.” As if that weren’t intriguing enough, it’s about three sisters who grow up on an island with their parents and are taught to be afraid of men.
6We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World by Malala Yousafzai, out January 8th
In We Are Displaced, the Nobel Peace Prize winner writes about her own experiences as a displaced person and the stories of other displaced girls she’s met through her work as an activist. It’s a timely read that’s more important than ever right now.
7Sugar Run by Mesha Maren, out January 8th
Sugar Run is a beautiful novel that’s hard to put down. It’s about Jodi, a young woman who goes to prison in 1989 at age 17 for killing her girlfriend. When she’s released 18 years later, she begins the search for a new place—and person—that feels like home.
8Burned: A Story of Murder and the Crime That Wasn’t by Edward Humes, out January 8th
If you spent the holiday break binge-watching An Innocent Man, satisfy your true crime fix next with Burned. It explores what really happened the night of a tragic house fire in Los Angeles in 1989.
9The Au Pair by Emma Rous, out January 8th
I love mysteries with complex premises that make me say, “OMG, I must read this immediately, please hold my calls.” That’s exactly what you’ll say about The Au Pair, a suspenseful, page-turning novel about a woman, her twin brother, their mother who took her own life shortly after they were born, their au pair who fled, and a mysterious family photo.
10The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris, out January 8th
Senator Kamala Harris is one of the most inspiring political leaders of our generation. Her memoir about growing up the daughter of immigrants and finding her passion for social justice is just as inspiring.
11An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma, out January 8th
Have you ever wondered, What would it be like if “The Odyssey” was set in Nigeria? Thanks to Obioma’s contemporary twist on the epic about a love story between a farmer named Chinonso and a woman named Ndali, now you don’t have to.
