Friday Mood Recs: My most anticipated books of January 2024
The books I've read and the ones I'm eyeing
Hey, readers!
I’m trying something new for today’s Friday Mood Recs and sharing a brief preview of some of the January releases I’m most looking forward to. This is something I’ve gotten a lot of requests for, but I’ve been hesitant because I don’t track new releases as closely as some super readers and reviewers. Still, I know it can be hard to find new releases! There’s not an easy to navigate database for the casual reader. And if you do have access to those resources, it can be really tricky to sort through everything that’s coming.
I thought I’d give this a try and see what you all think. If this is something useful, let me know! I’ll include it into the regular Mood Rec rotation.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s the books that I’m currently most excited about. I’m including three books I’ve read and enjoyed, my three top picks that I have yet to read, and a short list of other titles I’m interested in. I hope consolidating these into a single post will help you navigate the month of new releases. And, of course, please tell me what January books you’re most excited to read in the comments section!
If you’re already a paying subscriber to this newsletter, scroll down for my top January picks, but if you’ve been considering upgrading to a paid membership for awhile…
Announcing the 2024 New Year Special
The turning of a calendar year is a time when many of us readers take stock of our lives in books. While I am not all about optimizing my reading (more on that soon), I am about cultivating a reflective, meaningful, and satisfying reading practice. If that’s something you’re hoping for more of, I think you may get a lot out of an upgraded FictionMatters subscription. In addition to these regular Friday posts, you’ll also get my Ranked Reading Recap podcast episodes, monthly In Summation newsletters, and my longer form explorations of my recent reads. Signing up also gets you access to my 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide and Fall Fiction Compendium as well as the forthcoming 2024 editions of those guides.
I’m currently offering 25% off annual subscriptions. That’s an entire year of book reviews and more for $37.50! (I believe Substack limits this to new subscribers, but for this deal, it’s worth trying even if you’re currently subscribed.) Be sure to take advantage of this limited time offer before it expires on January 6th! I hope you’ll join me for a wonderful year of reading.
Or Join the Patreon
If a reading community is what you’re looking for, the FictionMatters Patreon Literary Society may be just right for you. Patreon memebers receive access to twice monthly Book Clubs, Buzzy Book of the Month discussions, Biblio Brunch book recommendation meet-up sessions, and much, much more. Patreon members also get access to past and future reading guides as well as a vibrant Discord community that serves as the best bookish group chat on the internet. While Patreon doesn’t allow for special offers, this is still a great time to join. Check out this link to see what Book Club books we’re reading in January through April and sign up for just $10 per month!