OUR AMERICAN FRIEND by Anna Pitoniak received a flurry of critical acclaim following its publication last week. In a starred review from Booklist, reviewer Stephanie Turza writes: “Pitoniak has glazed current events with an intriguing veneer of fiction…[She] skillfully drives the pace of the novel forward in multiple time lines, letting characters emerge and recede…Exploring interpersonal loyalties and the difference between cowardice and patience, the well-researched and twist-FILLED OUR AMERICAN FRIEND is a natural next-read for fans of Curtis Sittenfeld, A. Natasha Joukovsky, and Stacey Swann.” The book also received a glowing review from Justine Harman for The New York Times: “From its very first sentence, [OUR AMERICAN FRIEND] wastes no time hitting a dramatic note…[Pitoniak] skilfully nests each Russian doll inside the next, keeping each chapter of the story intact as she builds a new one around it. The result is an elegant and well paced ‘thriller’…Like EMILY IN PARIS meets SCANDAL — fantastic fun.” The Christian Science Monitor placed the novel at #3 on its list of “Tales of Courage and Grit Lead the 10 Books of February.” Lastly, Pitoniak appeared on MSNBC to discuss the real-life world events that inspired the novel. Simon & Schuster published the novel on February 15, 2022.

Wayne Koestenbaum’s ULTRAMARINE published this week to a stunning review from the Poetry Foundation. Reviewer David Woo writes: “In ULTRAMARINE, the third volume of his ‘trance' diaries, the poet, essayist, painter, queer gadfly, erudite aesthete, and conflicted moralist Wayne Koestenbaum assembles 474 pages of brief thoughts, dreams, and observations… I especially loved his representations of ephemeral cultural phenomena…ULTRAMARINE amply succeeds in animating the reader to move into the sphere of the poet’s otherness.” Koestenbaum also sat down for an in-depth interview with Tony Leuzzi of The Brooklyn Rail to discuss ULTRAMARINE, which Leuzzi calls “enthrall[ing] and “brim[ming] with quotable moments.” Nightboat Books published the book on February 22, 2022.

IN SENSORIUM by Tanaïs continues to enjoy positive press following its publication this week. Akwaeke Emezi recommended the book for ELLE magazine’s Shelf-Life feature. They chose the book as the one that “sits on [their] nightstand,” praising Tanaïs as “brilliant” and the book as “an incredible and evocative text that [they] can’t wait to drown in.” Lit Hub also highlighted the book on its list of “20 New Books to Dive into This Week.” Harper published the book on February 22, 2022.

On the day of its release, New York Magazine ran an exclusive excerpt of THE YEAR THAT BROKE AMERICA by Andrew Rice. Rice also sat down for an interview with The Los Angeles Times about the book. Harper published the book on February 22, 2022.

Sarah Manguso's VERY COLD PEOPLE received a wealth positive press surrounding its publication this week. In a rave review for The New York Times, Alexandra Jacobs writes: “Best known as a memoirist and essayist, Manguso also writes poetry, and this is apparent in her fiction. Though dealing with life’s ugly, messy truths, her writing is compact and beautiful…So masterly is Manguso at making beauty of boring old daily pain that when more dramatic plot turns arrive — suicides, teen pregnancies — they almost seem superfluous, visitations from an after-school special. The book is strong enough as a compendium of the insults of a deprived childhood: a thousand cuts exquisitely observed and survived. The effect is cumulative, and this novel bordering on a novella punches above its weight.” Michele Filgate reviewed the novel for The Washington Post, writing: “Manguso’s attention to the chilliness and reservation of certain New Englanders crackles like a room-temperature beverage poured over ice…[She] portrays the fears surrounding girlhood with a blistering clarity.” Lastly, Rebecca Steinitz’s review for the Boston Globe praises Manguso as “an exquisitely astute writer…admirable [for] her refusal to bow to predictable plot tropes.” Hogarth published the novel on February 8, 2022.

GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM by Wajahat Ali published this week to positive media attention. NPR reviewed the book, writing: "Ali doesn't pull any punches when expressing his righteous anger against things like the moderate Muslim trope, mass incarceration, systemic racism, socio-economic inequality, and more. Scathing political commentary about both Republicans and Democrats is supported with requisite data and historical facts. He leavens and seasons all of that skillfully with comedy, popular cultural references from the U.S. and Pakistan, and a deeply warm affection for the family and friends who've always been there for him.” Ali was also interviewed by Jean Guerrero for The Los Angeles Times, who praises the book as “funny and heart-wrenching…Ali’s tale is a hopeful one. It is also a love letter to America, despite many of its citizens giving him the send-off in his title…In the end, Ali’s book is about the power of storytelling to reroute history.” W.W. Norton & Company published the book on January 25, 2022.

GOD: AN ANATOMY by Francesca Stavrakopoulou published this week to critical acclaim. Karen Armstrong reviewed the book for The New York Times, praising it as a “a long, detailed and scrupulously researched book….[that is] packed with knowledge and insight.” Meanwhile, Publishers Weekly awarded the book a starred review, raving: “Biblical scholar Stavrakopoulou convincingly argues for understanding the Christian God as an embodied being in this fascinating comparative mythology...Stavrakopoulou writes with the fluidity of a seasoned storyteller, using ample footnotes, but never getting weighed down by academic jargon. This is a provocative tour de force.” Knopf published the book on January 25, 2022.

Book Passage is hosting a special live virtual event for Charles Cumming on January 20 at 3pm EST to celebrate the publication of BOX 88, where Cumming will appear in conversation with Dan Fesperman to discuss the book. The Mysterious Bookshop will also be holding a virtual live event on January 26 at 4pm EST, where Cumming will appear in conversation with Mick Herron. Mysterious Press published BOX 88 on January 11, 2022.

THE STARS ARE NOT YET BELLS by Hannah Lillith Assadi is one of Lit Hub’s “Most Anticipated Books of 2022.” Lit Hub Book Marks Editor in Chief Dan Sheehan writes: “National Book Foundation 5 Under 25 honoree Hannah Lillith Assadi’s wonderful first novel, Sonora, was one of the most beautifully wrought debuts of recent years, so I’m tremendously excited to read her sophomore effort.” The book was also selected by Zibby Owens for Good Morning America as a must-read title for January. Riverhead Books published the novel on January 11, 2022.

Charles Cumming’s BOX 88, the first book in his new Lachlan Kite series, has received starred reviews from Booklist (“[A] compelling thriller…threading coming-of-age themes into a complex espionage plot …that suggests there will be much more to discover within the recesses of BOX 88”), Kirkus (“The plot…is intricate but coherent, taking readers down a chilling road of recent history, vividly depicted. The result is a believable plot undergirded by complex characters and profound questions. The gold standard in espionage fiction”), and Publishers Weekly (“Well-timed action scenes match focused glimpses into the world of spycraft. This outing cements Cumming’s place in the top rank of espionage writers”). The book has also been named one of Parade’s most anticipated reads for 2022. Mysterious Press will publish BOX 88 on January 11, 2022.