By Jess Scaffidi Saggio, Katie Farr, Lucy Powell, Iona Fleming and Ayman Sabir
2024 has been an incredible year for literature, with an array of fantastic books published. It has been an unmissable few months, from the likes of Patti McCracken’s debut The Angel Makers, to Lucy Holland’s Song of the Huntress. The current literary landscape boasts an exciting mix of literature published by both new and established writers; the rest of this year is no exception. Read on to discover some great new books that are due to be published in the next few months!
You Belong With Me by Mhairi McFarlane
Mhairi McFarlane’s eleventh novel, You Belong With Me, will be published by HarperCollins Publishers on 20 June. Excitingly, this romance novel is a sequel to McFarlane’s Who’s That Girl?, which was published in 2015. The story follows Edie, who is still in love with her actor ex-boyfriend Elliot, so when he turns up at her house one Christmas Day, she accepts his invitation to rekindle their romance.
However, things turn messy when the two find themselves navigating a long-distance relationship whilst being relentlessly hounded by the press. Edie’s boss then hires Declan to support Edie, who helps her through these tough times—leaving her to wonder, is Elliot really the man for her? Having interviewed McFarlane following the publication of her last book, Between Us, back in 2023, this is a highly anticipated upcoming publication. With the story described as ‘light-hearted’, and McFarlane described by Stylist Magazine as ‘the queen of romantic comedies’, there is no doubt that You Belong With Me will be another amazing book!
Things Don’t Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins
A highly anticipated upcoming debut novel is Sarah Easter Collins’s Things Don’t Break on Their Own, to be published by Viking on 20 June. The novel, described as “captivating, haunting and twisty” by author Karin Slaughter, follows Willa twenty-five years after the death of her sister Laika. After her sister’s disappearance, Willa is haunted by Laika everywhere and believes she is still alive. After a dinner party discussion on childhood memories, Willa must pick apart everything she thought she knew about her past to find the truth.
Through an intricate mystery, Easter Collins explores the effects of domestic violence, loyalty and truth, and the ripple effect on family relationships. Above all, the book reflects on the power of memory in shaping our lives for years to come and the lies we tell ourselves – consciously and unconsciously – to avoid confronting such memories.
The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim
Another exciting upcoming debut is Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are The Best Part, which will be published by Brazen, an imprint of Octopus, on 4 July. A feminist literary novel full of suspense, The Eyes Are The Best Part has been compared to My Sister the Serial Killer, Boy Parts and Crying in H-Mart. The novel follows a college student, Ji-Won, dealing with her family falling apart after her father has an affair. The situation is exacerbated by the entrance of her mother’s new white boyfriend, George, whose obnoxious and condescending attitude towards Ji-Won and her sister provokes her righteous anger. As the title suggests, Ji-Won develops an obsession with eyes, particularly George's blue eyes, which follow Ji-Won and her sister around their claustrophobic apartment.
The Eyes Are The Best Part explores Asian womanhood through a Korean American perspective, touching on race, misogyny, and family themes. Sitting at the crossroads between literary and horror/suspense, The Eyes Are The Best Part is sure to attract fans of ‘female rage’ novels who don’t mind a bit of disgust and grotesqueness thrown into the mix. Monika Kim is an author to keep an eye on!
Babylonia by Constanza Casati
As for historical fiction, previous Publishing Post interviewee Constanza Casati’s latest book, Babylonia, promises to be a stunning new release. Whilst a separate stand-alone story, Casati’s electrifying new novel builds on her debut's strong storytelling and writing talent, expands her voice and continues her exploration of powerful female figures in history.
Where her first novel, Clytemnestra, explored the story of an ancient queen—known in Homer’s Odyssey and Aeschylus’ Agamemnon—in Babylonia, Casati reimagines the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, Semiramis, and her rise to power. This mythological retelling has been described as “emotionally rich and lyrically genius" and like “reading an enchantment on the page”. The story focuses on Semiramis' journey from a young, orphaned girl growing up on the edges of the brutal Assyrian Empire to the legendary Queen of Babylon. Yet, Casati also weaves a rich tapestry of love and duty as she explores the heroine's love life as a wife to Onnus and Ninus. It is a book that promises to stand out in a genre filled with mythical retelling, with a story that has not often been told; Casati lifts the curtain and reimagines this powerful mythic figure. The book will be published on 4 July by Michael Joseph and is one to add to your to-be-read list.
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