Millions of up-and-coming books hit the bookshelves each year, making it sometimes impossible for us to choose between them all. Riveting novels from masters of the language of ingenious storytelling leave us as readers glued as we turn page by page.
What are the best novels of 2022 thus far?
In an attempt to help you filter through the bookshelves for the best new literary works, we have gathered 7 amazing books from up-and-coming authors that will leave you in a whirlwind of emotions. Whether it’s joy or abject despair (sometimes within the same book), these titles will hold you, hostage, by the beautifully written word.
Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho
As a literary critique, we don’t like to judge books by their cover; but I mean have you seen the cover art for Fiona and Jane? It immediately lures you in and once it captivates you just to open one page; you’re instantly hooked. Jean Chen Ho’s debut novel, Fiona and Jane, has already achieved incredible milestones from some of the highest literary critics in the states.
The novel tells the tale of two best friends, Fiona Lin and Jane Shen, as they try to navigate between the highs and lows of adolescence and their coming-of-age journey in life. As a love letter to and a celebration of the complexities of female friendship, Fiona and Jane are sure to be a work of fictional art that everyone has been talking about in 2022.
What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris
Up-and-coming author Kai Harris eloquently puts into words the harsh truth many struggles to accept when they are young – the realization that loved ones can be flawed and the dream of a perfect family never really is perfect. Harris’s debut novel, What the Fireflies Knew, is a dazzling and moving portrayal of family struggles and the fragility of coming to terms with identity, race, and imperfect loved ones. The story narrates a family shattered and put back together again through a culmination of heartfelt events. What the Fireflies Knew, poignantly reveals the saddening truth that not everyone is ready to accept.
Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi
If you are looking for the best new pre-apocalyptic novel, then Goliath is a must-read for all bookworms! Up-and-coming author Tochi Onyebuchi sets his novel in the not-so-distant future that explores the fragile boundaries of life on earth and space. The book sets the tone in the year 2050 and life on earth as we know it has completely disappeared as cities and towns begin to crumble around us. In this biblical epic, Onyebuchi offers us a glimpse into a terrifying vision of the future and leaves readers to wonder about the idea of freedom.
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
Some of the best-selling novels have infused the idea that monsters are creatures to be feared that only exist in fictional realities – but what if we realise that monsters are created by us, in our heads, and we are in fact monsters ourselves? Global up-and-coming author Vanessa Len’s gripping young adult debut Only a Monster grapples with questions of morality and terrifying secrets whilst taking us on a sweeping adventure along the way.
The Rage Colony by Shanon Hunt
Oftentimes, the best fictional horrors are novels that can actually be a reality. In the case of The Rage Colony, up-and-coming author Shanon Hunt pours her extensive pharmaceutical experience into a nail-biting thriller to highlight the all-to-real dangers of genetic engineering and DNA manipulation. The medical thriller is a suspenseful novel overlayed with dark horror to leave readers in thought-provoking agony about whether her scientific horror could actually be happening to us in real-time.
Snatch 2&20 by Luke E. Fellows
Wolf of Wall Street brought the glitz and glam of hedge fund American capitalism to life by opening a genre of interest. In a world that was previously uninterested in what happens behind closed doors in finance markets, Snatch 2&20 is another take on revealing some of the most riveting brutality of Wall Street. Up-and-coming author Luke Fellows takes his readers through an edgy satirical take on Wall Street that makes you question the limits of personal integrity and human values.
To put it more blatantly the novel depicts an array of stories that all question; “to what extent would you sell your soul to a sociopathic hedge fund titan for tens of millions in dirty cash?” Equal parts Black Mirror and Adam McKay, Snatch 2&20 will have readers laughing one moment and cringing the next at the modern misadventures of its ill-fated protagonist.
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
If you are a fan of fictional mythology, especially the ancient gods of Greece, up-and-coming novelist Natalie Haynes takes you on a thrilling adventure behind the story of Medusa. A must-read on the classic tale of how Medusa came to be, Nathalie’s innovative depiction of the writhing snake monstress takes us through a realistic depiction of Medusa’s life as the sole mortal in a family of gods before her declining doom to darkness.
A brilliant insight to understand the personality and complexities behind the renowned mythical monstress, Nathalie leaves us pondering whether to feel sorrow towards the unfortunate life events of Medusa.
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