February's First Friday Discussion Thread: The Books I'm Looking Forward to Are ...

On the first Friday of every month, I write a post that everyone can contribute their thoughts to. This month, it's about the books we're looking forward to reading this year.

There’s nothing better than getting book recommendations from real people who have great taste. And you’re here reading Bijoux, so I know you have the most excellent taste!

As it says above, on the first Friday of every month, I’m hoping you’ll share some of that excellent taste with everyone here by jumping into the First Friday Discussion Thread. I want Bijoux to be a fun, thriving and fascinating community so I’d love to hear from you. Onto this month’s topic!

What Are You Looking Forward to Reading?

So, I did something extraordinary over the December/January school holiday period. I finished reading every unread book on my bookshelf. I started doing this a few moths ago because some of those books have been languishing there for years. And I found a couple of absolute gems, including Curtis Sittenfeld’s American Wife. (More on her in a moment).

Now that I have no unread books on my shelf, I can add some shiny new ones. In that spirit, here’s my list of the books I’ll definitely be rushing out and buying as soon as they’re published in 2023, as well as a couple that I missed from last year. Make sure you let me know what’s on your list in the comments below!

Happy Place by Emily Henry

I’m very selective about the rom-coms I read. But I adore all of Emily Henry’s books. So I squealed with delight when I saw she has a new one coming out, and that its bright pink cover matches the Bijoux aesthetic perfectly! I don’t even care what it’s about – I’ll read it anyway. And it recently received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, as if I needed any more convincing.

Maame by Jessica George

This also has a pink cover (I’m sensing a theme here) but that’s not why I chose it. I want to read it because I keep seeing it on “must-read” lists and the premise sounds great. A twenty-five year old publishing executive who’s carrying the weight of responsibility of caring for her Ghanian family, to the detriment of truly living her own life, moves in with two friends who want to show her what living really means. I’ve heard it achieves the perfect balance between humour and tackling issues like casual racism, and that the main character is a sublime creation.

Homecoming by Kate Morton

I first read Kate Morton in 2010. I had three kids under the age of four at the time and I was laid up in bed with a chest infection. Someone loaned me a copy of The Shifting Fog and my soul, which hadn’t had time to read for weeks, was suddenly full once more. I’ve read everything she’s written since then, and whenever I see that she has a new book coming out, I immediately hit the preorder button. It’s her first one set in Australia too, so I can’t wait.