As 2023 begins, readers anticipate hundreds of new book releases from fictional novels to memoirs.  Adolescents use TikTok to express their opinions on books, giving them more popularity on this social media platform.  In 2022, books from #BookTok on TikTok and other social media platforms were part of the best sellers list, according to The New York Times.  This year, people look forward to reading novels by notable authors, such as Ms. Leigh Bardugo, and authors of color, thanks to the audience of young readers who share their love of books on social media.  Upper School Librarian Mrs. Olivia Kolenberg discussed the new releases she will add to the school’s library and the genres she sees growing in the literary community. 

With the support of the hashtag #BookTok and young readers, fiction authors have grown in popularity.  This year, Young Adult (YA) author Ms. Bardugo released a sequel to her novel Ninth House named Hell Bent January 10.  Ms. Bardugo gained popularity on TikTok due to two of her YA fantasy series, Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows, which are now a Netflix series, according to leighbardugo.com.  Another novel people anticipate is Yellowface by fantasy author Ms. Rebecca F. Kuang as young readers around the world become more interested in fantastical literature, according to time.com.  Mrs. Kolenberg expressed why she thinks YA is a genre that stands out against others. 

“While it is less of a genre in and of itself, and more of a category, Young Adult (YA) Fiction is really expanding in the publishing world and gaining much-deserved (and belated) credibility in the wider public audience, and has been for the past five or so years,” Mrs. Kolenberg said.  “I find YA Fiction to be really special because it can take on so many forms and still be a coming of age story at its core.  Obviously as a librarian who primarily serves teenagers, YA fiction is high on my radar because it is what resonates most with my students, but YA novels can resonate with readers of any age, and is a category with just as much merit and importance as Adult Fiction.”

Social media influences readers to anticipate new releases through articles, podcasts, and posts.  Following the release of the Netflix documentary Harry and Meghan, readers are now eager to listen to Prince Harry’s side of the royal story, according to The New York Times.  Other memoirs in the list of book releases this year include ones that shine a light on prominent social issues.  A Living Remedy by Mrs. Nicole Chung is set to release in April and focuses on her experience with her adoptive parents and a broken healthcare system.  Another memoir is Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future by Ms. Mya-Rose Craig, releasing in June, which touches upon issues such as her mother’s mental illness and how she plans to save the environment, according to time.com. 

This year, the books that garner the most attention of readers are YA novels that discuss racism and immigration.  The novel Evil Eye by author Ms. Etaf Rum that is releasing in March centers on a mother-daughter relationship and how racism in the workplace affects their bond and creates generational trauma.  Fiction author Ms. Kathryn Ma also highlights the importance of finding one’s place in one’s community regardless of wealth and immigration status in her new novel The Chinese Groove, which will release January 24, according to time.com.  Mrs. Kolenberg mentions why she wants to add more YA novels to the school library. 

“Specifically, YA novels that are written from the perspective of diverse voices, and ones that are reflective of the SHG student body,” Mrs. Kolenberg said.  “As the YA publishing industry expands, more and more authors from different backgrounds are able to share their stories with a wider audience, whether that is reflective of their own disability, their own culture, or any other aspect of their personal experience.”

Featured Image by Camila Oliva ’24