The Best Books of 2018 (so Far)

When six friends head for a weeklong getaway in France to celebrate their college graduation, they expect a carefree escape, filled with parties and relaxation. Upon returning home, they find out that Severine, the girl living next door to their rental, is missing and an in-depth police investigation turns up no leads. A decade later, the friends have grown apart and are living separate lives when someone from their past comes looking for new clues, uncovering painful memories from that week along the way. In this thrilling investigation, the six friends question each other’s innocence—and the trustworthiness of their own memories.

To buy:$17; amazon.com.
Available February 20.

This debut novel follows two friends, Zadie Anson and Emma Cooley, as their bond blossoms and transforms over time, starting in medical school and later, as they settle down, get married, and start families. But when Nick Zenokostas, a resident from their med school years, reappears in their lives, it resurfaces difficult memories that threaten to change the lives, careers, and friendship they’ve worked so hard to build.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 13.

Tara Westover grew up with six siblings in the mountains of Idaho, born to anti-establishment survivalist parents. Everything from herbal medicine to education was done at home. In her late teens, Tara is inspired to teach herself enough material to take and pass the ACT, and then leaves behind everything and everyone she knew to attend college. For the first time, she learns about everything from history to politics. This heartbreaking debut highlights the importance of education and its ability to change lives.

To buy: $20; amazon.com.
Available February 20.

This juicy novel explores the complex social hierarchy of several Upper East Siders who are all connected by an elite private elementary school. When Phillippa Lye, an elegant and mysterious woman, marries into one of the wealthiest families in the city, other women at the school begin to speculate. But when Gwen Hogan, a childhood acquaintance, begins to dig into Lye’s past, she discovers secrets that could ruin the sophisticated reputation Lye has built. This new novel is perfect for fans of The Nest and Prep.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 13.

When Kate Bowler, a happily married new mom and theologist at Duke Divinity School, is diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, she is forced to reframe her entire belief system. While she had subscribed to the ideas of the prosperity gospel, which says fortunes are a gift from God and misfortunes are a punishment, Bowler found herself with an incurable illness that she could not blame on her faith. In this beautiful memoir, Bowler reckons with her own mortality and the belief system she has held for so long to find her own understanding of life and death.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 6.

This collection of essays from the author of White Teeth is a mix of her most popular pieces and a few previously unpublished essays, dived into five sections: In the World, In the Audience, In the Gallery, On the Bookshelf, and Feel Free. Smith addresses a diverse range of topics including music, movies, and current events and proves, once again, she is a master.

To buy: $18; amazon.com.
Available February 6.

Elsie, the granddaughter of Lithuanian immigrants, has bigger dreams than working as a waitress in Connecticut, until she finds herself pregnant by Bashkim, a married Albanian man. When her daughter Luljeta grows up, she tries to go to college and find her own way in the world, but finds herself drawn to uncovering the secrets in her family’s history to better understand who she is. Alternating between Elsie and Luljeta’s perspectives, this debut novel is a gorgeous mother-daughter tale about coming to terms with the past.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.

Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are living, a perfect life in Atlanta when Roy, is wrongly convicted of a crime and, sentenced to 12 years in prison. An American Marriage explores how their union unravels as Roy's life is put on hold while Celestial's moves forward. In this unforgettable novel, Tayari Jones tackles hard questions about pride, betrayal, and our capacity to forgive.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 6.

When a gunman opens fire at 7-year-old Zach Taylor's school, killing his older brother and many classmates, he, is torn from the naïveté of his childhood. In Only Child, Rhiannon Navin shows, through Zach's eyes, how his family and town fall apart after the tragedy. Perfect for fans of Room, this heartbreaking but important, novel offers a new, perspective on trauma and reminds, readers that hope, can be found in, even the darkest moments.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 6.

In The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah's, latest since The Nightingale, we meet Leni Allbright; her mother, Cora; and her struggling Vietnam veteran father, Ernt. It's 1974 and the world feels uncertain. The family moves to Alaska in hopes of living off the grid and finally finding Ernt some relief from his inner demons. But the frontier offers far from a simple, back-to-the-land lifestyle, and the unprepared Allbrights struggle, to survive. This epic, atmospheric novel examines humans' will to endure the unthinkable.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 6.

We kiss to show, our affection for, all kinds of people, in our lives, from, children to husbands and wives., In the anthology, The Kiss, Brian Turner collects, stories and quotes from dozens of, writers, including, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pico Iyer, and Toni Morrison, that capture the physical, and emotional sparks that occur when we touch lips.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 13.

Tom Hazard ages very slowly: While he looks 40, he's actually more than 400 years old., To stay safe, he belongs to a secret society that forces members to move often—and to never fall in love. But, Tom has. Despite, his extraordinary, life (he worked, for Shakespeare), Tom wishes only, to be ordinary and, find his missing daughter. In the captivating How to Stop Time, Matt Haig asks: How would you live your life if you had more time?

To buy: $17; amazon.com.
Available February 6.

Four siblings sneak off together to get their fortunes told by a fortune teller, who claims to be able to predict the exact day someone will die. When each of the siblings finds out their death date, they are left to reckon with how they want to live their lives. In this poignant novel, Benjamin follows each sibling over the next 50 years and raises questions about the difference between choice and fate. It's perfect for book club and will have you thinking about what you would do, if you knew how long you had to live.

To buy:$18; amazon.com.

This tender debut novel from Thomas Pierce explores what awaits us in the afterlife. When Jim Byrd’s heart stops during a heart attack, he is physically revived, with no memories of his brief death. But shortly after, Jim and his wife, Annie, begin to see things—ghosts, holograms, and even possible messages from the afterlife. This thought-provoking debut will make readers think about love, loss, and what happens after we die.

To buy: $27; amazon.com.

This buzzy novel from Leila Slimani—winner of the Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary prize—follows Myriam, a French-Moroccan lawyer, who decides to hire a nanny to care for her two children. At first Louise appears dependable and sweet, but as she gets closer to Myriam and her family, they discover that Louise is not who she seems. Is she a threat to the family she is supposed to care for? You won't be able to put this book down until you find out.

To buy: $11; amazon.com.

Louisa Clark returns in this novel for fans of Me Before You and After You (soon-to-be fans will love it, too). Recently arrived in New York City, Lou is tackling a new challenge—balancing a long-distance relationship with Ambulance Sam and a demanding new job for a privileged family in New York’s high society. Lou will have to learn to balance her past and present, or give up one part of her life for good.

To buy: $18; amazon.com.
Available January 30.

When someone you love is accused of an unthinkable crime, who do you believe? That's one of the central questions of Sarah Vaughan's debut thriller-meets-courtroom-drama, Anatomy of a Scandal. When Sophie’s husband James, a government minister in London, is accused of rape, she vows to stand by his side and salvage their privileged family's reputation. But Kate, the ultra-intense prosecutor, is sure James is guilty—and will go to great lengths to prove it. This exhilarating novel, which switches between Sophie’s, Kate's, and James’ points of view, will have readers thinking about justice and truth and whether you can ever really, fully know someone.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.

This twisted psychological thriller—the debut novel from author duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen—follows Vanessa, a recent divorcée whose ex-husband Richard has found a new partner in Nellie, a much younger woman. Struggling to grapple with her new reality, Vanessa becomes obsessed with stopping Richard and Nellie’s marriage at all costs. Packed with plot twists and turns, this unpredictable novel explores the complexities of marriage and divorce.

To buy: $19; amazon.com.

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, this moving novel touches on the harsh realities of displacement and migration in present-day India. Mukherjee explores the hardships individuals face as they leave what is known and comfortable in hopes of a better life, through the stories of five characters from different worlds and economic realities.

To buy: $16; amazon.com.

Are there certain words and phrases that create strong relationships? In this collection of essays from Kelly Corrigan, she reflects on 12 phrases that connect us as humans and strengthen bonds, from “Tell Me More,” to “I Was Wrong.” Each essay is poignant, funny, and filled with warmth.

To buy: $18; amazon.com.

• In this memoir, Molly Caro May reflects on the drastic, often painful changes her body underwent—from pelvic-floor dysfunction to thyroiditis—after the birth of her first child. As she was learning to be a parent, May also found herself enraged by her body. In this honest memoir, May recounts how she came to feel connected with her body again. It's a moving work for new moms about a subject that is often overlooked in conversations about postpartum depression.
• To buy: $17; amazon.com.

In Everything Here is Beautiful, Mira T. Lee explores the relationship between two sisters: elder Miranda, who has always been the responsible one, and free-spirited Lucia, who struggles with schizophrenia. This gorgeous yet heartbreaking debut follows Miranda's and Lucia's lives after their mother's death and sheds light on the sacrifices people make for loved ones with mental illness.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.

In the throes of crippling agoraphobia, Anna Fox spends her days watching classic films, popping pills, and guzzling wine in her New York City apartment. When she witnesses a terrible crime through her window, she struggles to piece together what is real. The Woman in the Window, A. J. Finn's Hitchcockian debut, explores both Anna's inner demons and the ones acting right in front of her eyes.

To buy: $16; amazon.com.

In Jillian Medoff's uplifting and hilarious novel This Could Hurt, readers meet Rosa Guerrero, longtime head of human resources at a top company. As Guerrero navigates office drama, love affairs, and her own personal ambitions in the face of corporate cutbacks, Medoff examines the impact our work-life decisions have on our home lives.

To buy: $18; amazon.com.

Melanie Benjamin (The Aviator's Wife) returns with a new novel based on the real-life friendship of screenwriter Frances Marion and actress Mary Pickford in the early 1900s. In an industry dominated by men, the women support each other in their rise to fame until a disagreement puts their bond in jeopardy. Full of Old Hollywood glamour and true details about the pair's historic careers, The Girls in the Picture is a captivating ode to a legendary bond.

To buy: $18; amazon.com.

We may consider vulgar language taboo, but curse words actually have surprising benefits. In Swearing Is Good for You, Emma Byrne unearths an unorthodox body of research to reveal how swearing helps reduce pain and anxiety and can even bring people together. This fascinating debut is perfect for fans of Mary Roach.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.