Heads up, bibliophiles! This year is shaping up to be a year of standout, memorable and provocative reads. Here’s a sneak peek of an impressive crop of new books — from an intriguing new novel by a New York Times best-selling author, and a worldwide release from a breakout sensation from South Korea, to the latest book from a popular romance author and impressive debut titles from up-and-coming writers.
‘Your Utopia: Stories’ by Bora Chung
From the genre-bending author of Cursed Bunny comes a new collection of creepy and thought-provoking short stories translated from Korean. There’s a low-level employee who works for “The Center of Immortality Research,” an AI-elevator who falls in love with a tenant in an apartment complex, and an imagining of the planet’s destruction caused by GMO companies. Trust Bora Chung to deliver inescapable terrors that stay with you long after you’ve closed the last page.
‘I Hope This Doesn’t Find You’ by Ann Liang
I Hope This Doesn’t Find You follows Sadie Wen, a young Chinese-Australian model student who keeps things together by channeling all her frustrations and unfiltered thoughts in email drafts, especially against her co-captain and forever rival, Julius. When her emails get accidentally sent, Sadie’s life turns upside down but she finds the support she needs from the person she least expects. This snarky and unforgettable rivals-to-lovers romance will make you laugh, cry and become an Ann Liang fan.
‘So Fetch: The Making of Mean Girls (and Why We’re Obsessed With It)’ by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
Twenty years since the movie hit the big screens, we still can’t stop quoting Mean Girls. Why this fanaticism and obsession? Journalist Jennifer Keishin Armstrong takes us into a deep dive behind Mean Girls, including how it happened, how it defined a generation and its impact on pop culture, filled with interviews with the director, cast, and crew in this totally fetch book.
‘Piglet’ by Lottie Hazell
Discover the difference between the things we want and the things we think we want in this clever and emotionally intense book about a bride-to-be’s hungry and searing journey of self-revelation after she discovers her fiance’s betrayal two weeks before their wedding.
‘Women of Good Fortune’ by Sophie Wan
Set against a high-society Shanghai wedding, this novel revolves around an unhappy bride-to-be and her two best friends who hatch a plan to steal all the wedding cash gifts to reinvent their unhappy lives. This fun,
fast-paced book is a gem for those who love Crazy Rich Asians and If I Had Your Face.
‘Walking Practice’ by Dolki Min
A wonderfully weird debut novel, Walking Practice is about a
crash-landed extraterrestrial named Mumu who practices walking on earth and hunts humans using a dating app for survival. But their existence unravels one night when they fail to kill their latest meal, spawning questions about loneliness, queer identity and the depths humans take to conform to society.
‘Anita de Monte Laughs Last’ by Xochitl Gonzalez
New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez is back with a new novel. A whip-smart commentary about the art world, and racial and class divisions, Anita de Monte Laughs Last follows art history student, Racquel, as she uncovers the suspicious death of a female artist named Anita de Monte, whose name and existence seemingly vanished in the 1980s.
‘The Cure for Burnout: How to Find Balance and Reclaim Your Life’ by Emily Ballesteros
Ring in the new year with strategies to beat burnout with the help of Emily Ballesteros, a burnout management coach and TikTok influencer, who combines scientific and cultural research to demystify burnout for our post-pandemic world and help you achieve your best self.
‘The Book of Love’ by Kelly Link
Fans of supernatural and fantasy will love to devour this debut novel by Pulitzer Prize finalist author Kelly Link about three dead teenagers brought back to life, who must uncover the mystery of their deaths to save their hometown. An incredible achievement about loss, laughter, dread, magic and a moving exploration of the various permutations of love.
‘Funny Story’ by Emily Henry
Emily Henry is back to make you fall in love, laugh and cry with your heart out. This time, her novel follows two people whose exes are dating each other. To exact revenge, they decide to fake a relationship to get even, but we know the line between fake and real is delicate, right? The queen of rom-coms entices you to embark on her brand of romantic comedies this 2024, trust Emily Henry to deliver splendidly.
‘Chainsaw Man, Volume 14’ by Tatsuki Fujimoto
In Volume 14 of this sensational graphic novel, the adventures of Denji, a.k.a. Chainsaw Man, continues. Asa and Denji are going on a date to the aquarium. Asa wants to seduce Denji to turn him into a weapon, but Denji might have other ideas. Will they ruin the date with their extreme social awkwardness, or will a surprise attack by a devil be the culprit?
‘Crescent City Book 03: House of Flame and Shadow’ by Sarah J. Maas
After much anticipation, Sarah J. Maas is back with the latest installment of the Crescent City series. In House of Flame and Shadow, Bryce is stranded in a strange new world, while Hunt finds himself in the deepest hole, unable to escape his fate and find Bryce. Full of stunning twists, Sarah J. Maas’ Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt’s world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.
One can order these books and more at Fully Booked Online, where one can enjoy free shipping for order with a minimum of P799.