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Winter 2017 ARC Porn To Light Your Fire During These Chilly Months

by  | December 5

This is hardly a controversial statement: the year 2016 has been an absolute garbage fire. Like, trash baby elite. Shit supreme. Mega-mondo-cuckoo terrible. 365 days of filth. Just really, really gross.

(Related: Fall 2016 ARC Porn That Will Get Any Book Lover Hot And Bothered)

But art has a way of transcending the banal, the bad, the outright ugly. These books, just released or soon to be released, are made all the more precious because of the real life atrocities they are born into. Glimmering gems amidst the rubble. More than ever, I am grateful for books, and words, and masters who use language to prop up the human spirit, to keep our hems from falling into the toilet water that is 2016. I hope these books (in their ARC form and beyond) give you hope, too.

Pull Me Under by Kelly Luce (Nov. 1)

Finished books are here tears.

A post shared by Kelly Luce (@kabochantico) on

This is technically a Fall 2016 book, but I thought we’d need a little preemptive beauty to keep us aloft in the interim between now and January. I’ve loved Kelly Luce ever since I read her short story collection, Three Scenarious in Which Hana Sasaki Grows A Tail, and I have been so eager to finally read her debut novel. It is just as wonderful and inpisiring as I’d hoped. It almost makes ME want to hike the Shikoku pilgrimage that visits 88 Japanese temples, and I am NOT an outdoorsy person. THAT is how incredible her writing is.

Order: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood (May 2)

Patricia Lockwood is best known for her poem, “Rape Joke,” and I cannot wait to read her memoir called Priestdaddy (of course!). If you need something to quench your thirst before this comes out in 2017, be sure to follow her on Twitter. You won’t regret it.

Preorder: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Spider from Mars by Woody Woodmansey (Jan. 3)

??OCTOBER GIVEAWAY ?? @davidbowiesmoking and @StMartinsPress are pleased to announce our first giveaway of ?SPIDER FROM MARS: My Life With Bowie?the new book from Spiders' drummer, Woody Woodmansey. Preorder now @amazon. November 3 (UK) and January 3 (US). ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ HOW TO WIN 1️⃣Must follow @davidbowiesmoking 2️⃣Tag friends in the comments who would be interested. No repeats. 3️⃣Like this post. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖We will make a random selection from the “likers" on this post. If selected, you will receive a copy of the book (US) or, a link to the e-book (outside U.S.) Contest ends Monday October 31, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. Winner announced November 1, 2016. Open worldwide. GOOD LUCK! #davidbowie #davidbowiesmoking #bowie #giveaway #giveaways #contest

A post shared by David Bowie Smoking (@davidbowiesmoking) on

This tell-all memoir from the last living member of the Spiders from Mars, the backing band of Ziggy Stardust, is a must-read not only for Bowie nuts, but all rock music fans. Drummer Woody Woodmansey gives readers a glimpse into the life of the enigmatic and fascinating musician during one of his most creative and influential periods. Ok, I might be a weensy bit biased…I’m a Bowie nut. I admit it!

Preorder: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay (Jan. 3)

The world always needs Roxane Gay, but we may need her now more than ever. Her upcoming book is a short story collection, and I can’t wait to see how her trenchant and insightful point of view from Bad Feminist overlaps with her fiction writing.

Preorder: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Universal Harvester by John Darnielle (Feb. 7)

Um, is this perhaps the best ARC campaign ever? It’s certainly close. FSG sent out advance copies of Universal Harvester IN A VHS CASE. This follow up to Wolf in White Van by the lead singer of the Mountain Goats, John Darnielle, is sure to be as fun and fascinating as his debut. A VHS CASE.

Preorder: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough (Jan. 31)


This thriller is due to hit the shelves at the end of January, and I am already on tenterhooks! It’s a love triangle gone terribly wrong, and I’m waiting anxiously to devour this in one big gulp. Wintry binge reading, thy name is Pinborough.

Preorder: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

 

(Featured image: Grove Atlantic)