Books To Look Forward To In 2021

Whilst this year might not be starting in the best of ways with Covid-19 and its repercussions still hanging over us (namely yet another lockdown) I think this challenging time brings with it an opportunity to slow down and pick up a good book (or books). And there are a lot of books to look forward to in these uncertain times. Below I round up just a few books I’m looking forward to.

The queen of the historical spooks, Laura Purcell, is back in January with The Shape of Darkness, a story of Victorian mediums set in Bath. I already have this one on pre-order and cannot wait to get reading it. And whilst I’m speaking about spooky, spine tingling reads, how about Madam by Phoebe Wynne? This gothic novel set in an exclusive school in the Scottish Highlands is gloriously dark and unsettling – think classics like Jane Eyre and Rebecca colliding with The Secret History.

The Girl in the Walls is a novel which I know many book bloggers and bookstagrammers are excited for (yes I preordered it months ago). Another gothic tale of grief and belonging featuring a girl who haunts a house and its inhabitants. This one should be with us in March.

To yet another pre-order of mine, The Smallest Man by Francis Quinn comes out in January and is based in part upon a true story. The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. is a story of forbidden love, friendship, female bonds and really just about every form of love set against the backdrop of a cotton plantation in the South (I recently reviewed it on my Instagram page if you’d like to know more).

Dangerous Women by Hope Adams has me intrigued and is giving me The Devil and the Dark Water vibes. City of Vengeance by D. V. Bishop, a historical thriller set in Florence (my favourite place in the world) is already sat on my TBR and I have high hopes that it will help fight off those February blues.

We Are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan sounds like a fabulous piece of literary fiction set partly in 1960s Uganda. Sistersong is a feminist retelling of a folktale which promises to keep my obsession with reimagings of older tales alive. Add to that Rumaysa which brings together three tales to prove anyone can be a hero.

My final pick is The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, a story of a rock ’n’ roll duo who shot to fame in 1970s New York. I’m thinking this will have Daisy Jones & The Six fans very excited.

So what books are you looking forward to in 2021?