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33 Utterly Original New Contemporary Novels

"And now for something completely different.

Well, if not completely different, at least pleasantly weird. We've gathered here a collection of new books–all published this year–that feature contemporary settings and peculiar premises. These are books for adventurous readers, or anyone who appreciates a good story idea.

Where to begin? We've got semi-satirical sci-fi concerning space travel and suicidal cultural priorities (Girlfriend on Mars). Or how about alarmingly plausible horror in the wellness industry (Natural Beauty)? Then there's this cautionary tale about the Black experience in America…and mortuary modeling gigs (House of Cotton)."
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Ripe (Sarah Rose Etter)
Ripe
1
Sarah Rose Etter
All-Night Pharmacy (Ruth Madievsky)
All-Night Pharmacy
2
Ruth Madievsky
House of Cotton (Brashears, Monica)
House of Cotton
3
Brashears, Monica
The Nursery (Szilvia Molnar)
The Nursery
4
Szilvia Molnar
Chlorine (Jade Song)
Chlorine
5
Jade Song
Confidence (Rafael Frumkin)
Confidence
6
Rafael Frumkin
Notes on Her Color (Jennifer Neal)
Notes on Her Color
7
Jennifer Neal
August Blue (Deborah Levy)
August Blue
8
Deborah Levy
The Centre (Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi)
The Centre
9
Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi
Maeve Fly (C.J. Leede)
Maeve Fly
10
C.J. Leede
The Memory of Animals (Claire Fuller)
The Memory of Animals
11
Claire Fuller
The Road to Roswell (Connie Willis)
The Road to Roswell
12
Connie Willis
Girlfriend on Mars (Deborah Willis)
Girlfriend on Mars
13
Deborah Willis
Dykette (Jenny Fran Davis)
Dykette
14
Jenny Fran Davis
Boy Parts (Eliza Clark)
Boy Parts
15
Eliza Clark
Natural Beauty (Ling Ling Huang)
Natural Beauty
16
Ling Ling Huang
Hestia Strikes a Match (Christine Grillo)
Hestia Strikes a Match
17
Christine Grillo
Sea Change (Gina Chung)
Sea Change
18
Gina Chung
The Dog of the North (Elizabeth McKenzie)
The Dog of the North
19
Elizabeth McKenzie
The Last Animal (Ramona Ausubel)
The Last Animal
20
Ramona Ausubel
Big Swiss (Jen Beagin)
Big Swiss
21
Jen Beagin
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself (Marisa Crane)
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself
22
Marisa Crane
Please Report Your Bug Here (Josh Riedel)
Please Report Your Bug Here
23
Josh Riedel
Open Throat (Henry Hoke)
Open Throat
24
Henry Hoke
Biography of X (Catherine Lacey)
Biography of X
25
Catherine Lacey
The Guest Lecture (Martin Riker)
The Guest Lecture
26
Martin Riker
Y/N (Esther Yi)
Y/N
27
Esther Yi
Ghost Music (An Yu)
Ghost Music
28
An Yu
Chrysalis (Anna Metcalfe)
Chrysalis
29
Anna Metcalfe
The Survivalists (Kashana Cauley)
The Survivalists
30
Kashana Cauley
Death Valley (Melissa Broder)
Death Valley
31
Melissa Broder
Shark Heart (Emily Habeck)
Shark Heart
32
Emily Habeck
The Death I Gave Him (Em X. Liu)
The Death I Gave Him
33
Em X. Liu
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