The Millions is one of my favorite bookish websites, and twice a year they release a list of books that will be coming out within the next few months. The first list of 2019 was posted yesterday and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I always get fantastic recommendations from these lists, and this year is no exception.
Today I’m sharing the books I’m most excited to read in the upcoming months. I certainly don’t need any more titles to add to my ever-growing TBR, but how can I resist stories like these? (And the pretty covers. I love a pretty cover.)
I don’t tend to read much satire, but this book about a reluctant mindfulness guru named Hank sounds intriguing enough to make me start. I’m always on the lookout for well-written, funny books.
The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay
This novel tells the story of an Indian woman named Shalini whose mother is dead. Wrestling with her emotions and full of questions, Shalini decides to visit a remote village to find a man from her childhood who she believes might know something about her mother. This was my Book of the Month selection last month, so I have no excuse not to read this one since it’s already on my shelf.
Mothers: Stories by Chris Power
Mothers is a collection of 10 stories about people at a crossroads. These stories are set in locations all over the world. Kirkus notes this collection is “populated by travelers of many kinds.” I enjoy short stories and armchair travel, so I’m excited about this release.
The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison
I’ve read five of Morrison’s novels, but none of her nonfiction work. Her voice is one of a kind, so I’m sure this book will be worth my time.
Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
Bertha Truitt appears in New England one day in a cemetery. No one knows who she is or how she got there. She ends up settling down and opening a candlepin bowling alley, which serves as the link between generations of her family. With a concept this original, Bowlaway is toward the top of my to-read list.
The Millions mentioned the words “alternate universe” when describing this inventive novel that plays with time and location. As a realistic fiction lover, I almost tuned out because of that description, but this story about a woman who lives seemingly real, full lives in her dreams sounds too good to miss.
The Cassandra by Sharma Shields
In this novel, Shields reinvents the Greek myth of Cassandra. Mildred Groves works for the Hanford nuclear facility during World War II and has visions of the terrible outcomes plutonium could cause. I thoroughly enjoyed Shields’s first two books, Favorite Monster, and The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac, so I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while now.
Nothing But the Night by John Williams
All I needed to know about this book is that it’s written by John Williams, who penned one of my favorite novels of all time, Stoner. This book, his first, will be reissued by New York Review Books soon. It’s a novella-length book tells the story of a complicated father-son relationship.
This is another piece of satire about a 30-year-old woman who feels trapped in her unsatisfying life. Goodreads says this book is “darkly hilarious.” I’m here for that.
Look How Happy I’m Making You by Polly Rosenwaike
This is a collection of 12 stories about women and motherhood, including topics such as infertility, single parenthood, postpartum depression, and uncertainty after giving birth. I love the idea of such a life-changing topic being discussed through various lenses.
This novel is the story of arranged marriage and female agency. An eighteen-year-old named Deya is living in Brooklyn with her grandparents when they start trying to find her a husband. As Deya struggles with being forced to marry, she learns surprising truths about her parents and past. I can’t wait to get my hands on this.
Based on harrowing true events, Women Talking is about a group of Mennonite women who conduct a secret meeting to discuss what to do in the wake of their assaults. They grapple with whether to stay or leave their community while the men are away. I heard about this book a couple of months ago and can’t wait to read it.
Miracle Creek centers around a courtroom drama about deaths caused by the Miracle Submarine, a piece of technology that provides medical treatment to help people with autism, among other things. Goodreads says this book is “an addictive debut novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng,” who happen to be two of my favorite novelists. This sounds so good.
I keep seeing this book pop up on Instagram, where I’ve heard nothing but praise. Normal People is about Connell and Marianne, completely different people who have a strong connection throughout many years. This book releases in the US in August but has already been published in the UK. I don’t want to wait until August, so I’m happy to see that Book Depository has copies to buy now.
A Wonderful Stroke of Luck by Ann Beattie
I’m a sucker for stories about boarding schools and/or teachers, so this novel about a boarding school student and his influential teacher is right up my alley.
What 2019 releases have you excited? Do you want to read any of the books I mentioned?
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Andrea Is Reading 
This list looks awesome, and I’ll have to check out The Millions. I did a little extra/crew work on one of Halle Butler’s films, Crimes Against Humanity, while I was in Chicago going to art school. I remember she was very funny!
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How fun! I’ll have to look into her other work.
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