In her newest novel, Bertino parses through themes of alienation by writing from the point of view of an alien protagonist named Adina. I found this spin on the coming-of-age genre truly effecting and Adina’s search for community while feeling other relatable and heart wrenching. Wry, deadpan, and somehow full of wisdom, this is perhaps the best book I’ve read all year. It’s not out until January but I highly recommend you preorder it. For fans of: watching Challenger disaster footage, staring at yourself in the mirror while on psychadelics, and The Seas by Samantha Hunt.

In my opinion, poets make for good novelists. Akbar is no exception to this, I really enjoyed his debut novel. Martyr! is untraditional in structure, it flashes between dreams and reality, narrators living and dead, poetry and manuscript samples. Our main character, Cyrus, is figuring out his grief of being parentless while navigating being both queer and early in his sobriety journey. It skillfully interrogates the role art plays in our lives, inherited mythologies, and is deeply invested in finding lightness within the dark. For fans of: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, diner coffee, and Marina Abramović.

State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg doesn’t come out until July, but I strongly suggest you pre-order it! This speculative novel is set in the underbelly of Florida, and follows a ghostwriter who is stuck in her family home during the pandemic. The plot takes on every twist imaginable and features themes of technology addiction, cults, and dying parents. It’s weird, it’s otherworldly — it’s classic van den Berg. For fans of: hurricane weather, Weather by Jenny Offill, and holding a conch shell to your ear.