Which are the best must-haves writings on the shelf making some noise among the book lovers? Here's the list...
Last year was a great one for book lovers. There was something for all sorts of genre lovers – right from drama to romance to biographies to thrillers. As we enter into another 365 days journey of new year, the worm in us is already hungry for more titles and many stories. And like the previous year, 2015 too looks quite promising when it comes to the kind of books that will be available on the shelf. The low-down on the books we look forward to this year, and one should not miss...
Happy Are the Happy by Yasmina Reza
A short advance excerpt from Yasmina Reza’s new novel fairly crackles with electric wit and precise comedic timing. Her award-winning talent as a playwright coupled with a lively prose style lends particular promise to Happy Are the Happy. Be prepared to spend an enjoyable winter’s evening with this tantalising little book.
Almost Famous Women by Megan Mayhew Bergman
There’s so much talk about this title, you’d think it’s on shelves already — that’s how excited people are about Almost Famous Women. And it’s with good reason; Megan Mayhew Bergman’s second collection, all about women on the fringes of history, is gutsy and expertly written. Sometimes books published in January fall off the radar when we think back on the year in reading: Mark my words that this beautiful collection won’t be one of them.
Binary Star by Sarah Gerard
Sarah Gerard’s lyrical prose is like nothing you’ve ever read — and that’s the case with the arresting Binary Star, too. If you listen to the murmur in the literary community, you’ll hear Gerard’s name everywhere: no one can get their hands on this book soon enough. Binary Star follows a young woman battling an eating disorder who takes a road trip with her alcoholic, long-distance boyfriend. Through their desperation, the very lost pair happen upon vegananarchism — what they think will give them some meaning.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
It’s about time for another great can’t-put-‘er-down thriller, right? All our marbles on are on The Girl on the Train, which is already so buzzy, There’s a swarm of bees attached to the book. Hawkins’ book, which is already optioned for a film, follows a young girl who gets caught up in a murder mystery due to something she sees on her daily commute. It’s the kind of page-turner you’re glued to until the climax — can’t wait!
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
The author of Never Let Me Go is finally coming out with a new novel and… what’s that? Book lovers have already marked it as 'To-Read' in Goodreads? No one is entirely sure what this one is about except for “lost memories, love, revenge and war,” but it’s Ishiguro… so does it matter?
The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli
Gustavo 'Turnpike' Sánchez is a man with a mission: He is planning to replace every last one of his unsightly teeth. He has a few skills that might help him on his way: he can imitate Janis Joplin after two rums, he can interpret Chinese fortune cookies, he can stand an egg upright on a table, and he can float on his back. Written with elegance, wit and exhilarating boldness, Valeria Luiselli takes us on an idiosyncratic and hugely enjoyable journey that offers an insightful meditation on value, worth and creation, and the points at which they overlap.
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
After completing 19 novels, Pulitzer Prize winner Tyler is back with another book that promises to be masterful, too. "It was a beautiful, breezy, yellow-and-green afternoon." This is the way Abby Whitshank always begins the story of how she fell in love with Red that day in July 1959. The whole family is on the porch, listening contentedly as Abby tells the tale they have heard so many times before. Brimming with the luminous insight, humour, and compassion that are Anne Tyler's hallmarks, this capacious novel takes us across three generations of the Whitshanks, their shared stories and long-held secrets, all the unguarded and richly lived moments that combine to define who and what they are as a family.
An Untamed State by Roxane Gay
Daughter of one of Haiti’s richest men, Mireille is kidnapped, tortured, gang-raped and held for ransom. As Mireille waits silently to be set free, it soon becomes apparent that her ransom isn't being paid. On the other side of the fence, her adoring husband pleads with her father to bring her home. Brutal, powerful and riveting, this book will have you on the edge of your seat.
Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum
This is an emotional tale that will hit home for many. Meet Anna, wife to Bruno. They live what appears to be a picture-perfect existence, but look closer and the cracks become visible. With an emotionally void husband, Anna reaches out for more meaning in her life and when language classes come up short she grabs hold of a warm hand and warm body. But once you cross that line is there any going back? Riveting and shocking.
The Possibilities by Kaui Hart Hemmings
From the author of The Descendants comes a remarkable tale of loss and love and a twist that will completely sideline you (in a good way). Sarah St John has lost her beloved 22-year-old son Cully in an avalanche and all she wants is to be left alone. Instead she gets just the opposite as her father, best friend and Cully's father (with whom she has separated) storm into her life. Then if that wasn't enough, enter Kit - who uproots this story even further. A read so good it's already been optioned to be made into a Hollywood movie.
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