20 new books to read in March

Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s time for publishers to start pulling out the big guns: Many of the 2018’s biggest titles are landing this month, including the next YA phenomenon, the latest from the Beasts of No Nation author, and a juicy Bachelor tell-all. Read on for 20 March must-reads, and click the release dates to make your pre-orders.

The 15-year phenomenon gets the frank, journalistic behind-the-scenes treatment it’s long deserved. Los Angeles Times reporter Kaufman intermixes juicy details on the making of The Bachelor with some astute commentary on why so many have been obsessed with it for so long. (March 6)

Bagieu, the renowned and best-selling graphic novelist, compiles a magnificent collection here that’s perfectly timed for Women’s History Month. With remarkable art and intriguing tidbits, the book presents iconic women in a beautiful new way. (March 6)

With echoes of Paul Auster and Cormac McCarthy, Jesse Ball’s road novel is anything but traditional. The prolific, award-winning author tells the story of a father and his son who has Down syndrome, bringing out their connection in luminous and unexpected ways. (March 6)

The 24-year-old author’s YA debut is looking to be a phenomenon. Kicking off a Black Lives Matter-inspired fantasy trilogy, Children of Blood and Bone has sold film rights and is generating buzz for its sharp racial commentary. The author calls the book an “allegory for the modern black experience” and finds fantasy the perfect mode for conveying complex ideas without getting preachy. It’s a process that’s taken her years to refine and perfect — “It’s been rewritten 100 times,” she cracked to EW — and the fact that it’s culminating in a potential movie franchise still stuns her. Adeyemi has some casting ideas, though. “I have a huge crush on John Boyega,” she gushed. “What if he’s in the movie? Then I can meet John Boyega!” (March 6)

In this harsh but vibrant debut, two best friends navigate the landscape of India at the dawn of the new millennium. Rao’s feminist commentary is particularly potent, situating a powerful bond in restrictive, patriarchal structures. (March 6)

In one of the spring’s must-read fiction titles, Luis Alberto Urrea tells a layered, complex, galvanizingly authentic story of the Mexican-American immigrant experience and what it means to live two lives across one border. The book is set to be released at the time DACA is set to expire under the Trump administration. (March 6)

A fatal plane crash forever changes the life of Richard MacMurray, a cable news talking head who inherits his newly orphaned nephew. (March 6)

What does it mean to come out in contemporary America? The latest by the Beasts of No Nation author approaches this question with complexity, exploring a father’s bigotry and a teen’s tormented coming-of-age in painfully tragic ways. (March 6)

Jhumpa Lahiri translates this poignant, achingly observed new novel from Ties author Domenico Starnone. A 4-year-old goes to stay with his grandfather, a celebrated illustrator whose reputation is gradually fading. (March 6)

A young woman moves to Brazil with her husband, who’s making big moves in his career. Her bubble of privilege is popped when she volunteers at a local church and learns about the political unrest and social inequalities that have wracked Sao Paulo. (March 13)

Sarvas’ gorgeous Memento Park has echoes of the Helen Mirren film Woman in Gold. A man inherits an unusual piece of art, leading him on a revelatory journey toward discovering who his father really was. (March 13)

Rather than tease what lurks in this insanely twisty thriller, we’ll allow the book’s jacket copy to do the necessary work: “My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me: 1. I’m in a coma; 2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore; 3. Sometimes I lie.” (March 13)

The latest from the Man Booker-winning Line of Beauty author is another intimate epic about the powers of art and connection, and a portrait of gay life during less tolerant times. The book has already generated raves across the pond, and will all but certainly do the same here. (March 13)

Pan’s heartbreaking, deeply felt YA debut sensitively probes questions about grief and loss. The novel centers on a young woman who’s convinced that her mother, who died by suicide, has transformed into a bird. (March 20)

Sakal’s best-selling Israeli novel arrives stateside. It tells the story of Fareed, a young man from Damascus who’s caught up in the Tel Aviv gay scene. Sakal presents a vital depiction of queer life in the Middle East, a misunderstood intersection of identities. (March 20)

Kauffman follows up on her celebrated debut (Another Place You’ve Never Been) with a story about a group of childhood friends who reconnect after one member dies by suicide. It’s a Big Chill-esque panorama of friendship — but shrouded in darkness. (March 20)

The reliably excellent Rachman this time offers a nuanced, fascinating portrait of a celebrated painter looking ahead to his legacy. The book skirts art-world pretensions without succumbing to them; instead, it smartly interrogates them. (March 20)

Chelsey Johnson’s gritty, lively exploration of gay life in Portland has already generated praise from the likes of Carrie Brownstein and Marie Claire. (March 20)

Exploring the current climate of police brutality and viral culture, this harrowing YA effort is based on its author’s own experiences with tragedy and loss. (March 20)

This promises to be one of the biggest debuts of the year. Christine Mangan calls to mind the likes of Gillian Flynn and Patricia Highsmith in this tightly wound, exotic story of one woman’s new life in Morocco. (March 27)