A new year means new books! Last year, we compiled a list of highly-anticipated titles in both fiction and nonfiction for adults. These were the hyped super-faves for the 2016 publishing world, and they were a lot of fun to write about.

This year, however, we’ve decided to switch gears and focus on some upcoming titles that may be lesser-known, or by debut authors. Put these books on your radar, and check back in with us as you read!

“Universal Harvester” by Jon Darnielle (Available Feb. 7)
You may know Jon Darnielle better for his indie rock contributions as the center of The Mountain Goats, but nevertheless, he’s made a name for himself writing novels that are eerie, thoughtful and hard to put down. This year, his release follows a video rental clerk in a small Iowa town during the late 1990s. Tapes are being returned mysteriously with disturbing recordings added, but Darnielle is not just going for shock and disgust; “Universal Harvester” unfolds as a mind-bending meditation on loss and regret.

“Ghachar Ghochar” by Vivek Shanbhag (Available Feb. 7)

Vivek Shanbhag has earned great acclaim for his literary works in India, and one of his titles will finally be available in English with the release of “Ghachar Ghochar.” This tightly-crafted novella follows a family in contemporary India that gets rich quick with the opening of a spice factory; however, the rapid transformation of their world breeds deep conflicts. The title, meaning “something tangled beyond repair,” makes it clear just how dark and poignant Shanbhag’s work can be.

“Winter Tide” by Ruthanna Emrys (Available April 4)

“Winter Tide” is a Cold War novel unlike any other. Equal parts H.P. Lovecraft and Tom Clancy, the story centers on Aphra, one of two surviving descendants of a sect of Cthulhu-worshippers that was forcibly relocated and then wiped out by the U.S. government. The FBI fears communist spies may have tapped into the power of cosmic horrors, and Aphra is their only hope of keeping this eldritch arms race from destroying the world.

“Everybody’s Son” by Thrity Umrigar (Available June 6)

In the latest work from seasoned-novelist Thrity Umrigar, principles clash against one another as if in gladiatorial combat: morality and law contradict one another, while ideas of family–biological versus adoptive– vie for meaning. Protagonist Anton is the nexus of these struggles; when he was 10 year old, his mother was jailed for drug use and neglect. A powerful white judge bends the rules to adopt Anton to ease the loss of his own son. Years later, Anton has become privileged and powerful himself, but he must confront the hard truths of his families, old and new.

“Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid (Available March 7)

When Zadie Smith was here last month, I asked her what titles she’d recommend the library purchase in the coming year. “Exit West” was at the top of her list. Hailed as “the first Post-Brexit novel” by LitHub, it is, at its core, a love story: “Set in a world being irrevocably transformed by migration, the tale follows a young couple in an unnamed country as their city collapses around them and they are forced to join a wave of migrants fleeing for their lives.” You only have to wait two more months for this one, so get on the holds list!

“Kindred: The Graphic Novel Adaptation” by Octavia Butler (Available Jan. 10)

“Kindred” is an adaptation of the ground-breaking science fiction novel from 1979 with the same title. The story incorporates both time travel and historical fiction, and an admirable black female protagonist who is charged with, of all things, keeping a white boy alive to save future generations of her family. Note: There are some gruesome details in the novel, and seeing them in graphic format may be difficult for some audiences.

“Sing, Unburied, Sing” by Jesmyn Ward (Available Sept. 5)

Jesmyn Ward knows the South and writes it straight from the heart. This Southern road narrative focuses on an American family as they deal with drugs, loss, and imprisonment, all with an unwavering sense of hope. Ward is one of my favorite authors, and I nerdily follow her on instagram. She posted a teaser photo of the cover of “Sing, Unburied, Sing” last fall, and I’ve been excited about it ever since.

“No One is Coming to Save Us” by Stephanie Powell Watts (Available April 4)

When describing her novel, Powell Watts asks us to “[i]magine The Great Gatsby set in rural North Carolina, nine decades later, with desperate black people.” An intriguing idea — I look forward to this debut novel by the Ernest J. Gaines Award-winning short story author.

— Kate Gramlich and Eli Hoelscher are reader’s services assistants at Lawrence Public Library.