January Bookshop Chat - Books With Buzz January 2023

While there’s no denying which book is generating unprecedented buzz this month — Spare, we’re looking at you — we wanted to share news about other notable books that have kicked off 2023 in style.

From inventive fiction and funny feminist romance, to science that’ll knock your socks off and cookery books that’ll spark tasty new eating habits, there’s plenty of fresh food for thought among these January-published books that may have slipped beneath your radar.

Avalon by Nell Zink

Love literature that breaks the mould and writers who bring unforgettable outsiders and unusual scenarios to the fore? Look no further than Nell Zink’s Avalon.

 It follows the story of Bran, a young woman who was raised by outlaw bikers when her mother abandoned her to live in a Buddhist colony. After being forced to work from a young age, Bran befriends a bunch of fellow outsiders and somehow, against all odds, forges a new life and sense of identity. Part coming-of-age survival story, and part tale of unconventional love, the Guardian recently described Avalon as “a pleasure” that “will give you more that’s genuinely new than 99% of books to be published this year”

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood

Adore contemporary fiction about friendship and grown-up relationships? Something of a STEM nerd? Try Loathe to Love You. Its three short stories follow three female scientist friends as they navigate life and love, with fabulous set-ups, killer dialogue, feminist funniness and STEMinist romcom shenanigans.

Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Slow Cooker Book by Nathan Anthony

If, like many of us, you’re looking for ways to freshen your 2023 menus, try Nathan Anthony’s Bored of Lunch. In it the author shares dozens of ideas for satisfying dishes that can be created in your slow cooker while you get on with work. Think fresh twists on tasty stews, curries, chillis and risottos.

What’s more, all the recipes are calorie-counted and give dietary detail, and all the ingredients are easy to find and, most likely, already in your cupboard. 

Sensational: A New Story of Our Senses by Ashley Ward

Why do women have a better sense of smell than men? Why are they better at distinguishing between close shades of colours? Has the iPhone changed how we touch? Why does dousing a room with fart spray make people more prejudiced when making moral judgments? Why do we kiss? 

Written in engaging style, and sparked by cutting-edge advancements in biology and neuroscience (in fact, it's now believed we may have as many as fifty-three senses), Sensational explores how our brains makes sense of the world with mind-blowing insights.