I think we can all agree that 2020 was a rough year. But amid the trying times, we managed to find pockets of happiness to help us through. Whether that was creating crafty candles or learning to crochet, everyone seemed to find their own version of self-care to brighten the dark days. Despite all our lockdown hobbies, though, many of us kept things simple with the transporting power of a good book.In a year where we couldn’t travel further than the back garden, delving into another world was exactly what we needed to gain a sense of escapism. From Frances Cha’s Seoul-based If I Had Your Face to Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai’s The Mountains Sing, set in 20th century Hanoi, team R29 explored a plethora of countries and cultures over the course of the pandemic. And with the COVID-19 crisis still very much ongoing, we’re carrying our love of faraway fiction into 2021.Whether you're interested in reading a relationship drama based in modern-day Osaka or a tale of political upheaval set in 1960s Uganda, there are plenty of engaging reads to lose yourself in this January. If neither of those fits your criteria, this month’s new releases also include a novel charting the life of a famous author, a memoir discussing the dangers of codependency and the second instalment in a wildly successful series.To check out everything team R29 are reading this January, click through the slides ahead...At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.Georgia Murray, Fashion Editor Book: Concrete Rose by Angie ThomasWhy is it your January read? I flew through Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give in one sitting so I’m excited to get cosy and dig into Concrete Rose this month. Set 17 years before the events of THUG, this time we’re given Starr’s father’s backstory: the book follows a young Maverick Carter as he navigates fatherhood and growing up, in "a searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood." I can’t wait to spend a weekend losing myself in Thomas’ world again.Angie Thomas Concrete Rose, $, available at bookshop.orgJess Commons, Lifestyle DirectorBook: We Are All Birds Of Uganda by Hafsa ZayyanWhy is it your January read? Zayyan was the co-winner of the inaugural #Merky Books new writers prize and her debut novel, also being published by Stormzy’s imprint, is already getting rave reviews from the lucky people with advance copies. Set between Uganda’s turbulent 1960s-70s and present-day London, the book follows two young men reckoning with racism, identity, religion and tragedy against a background of political and social upheaval as they experience and learn about dictator Idi Amin’s expulsion of Ugandan Indians from the country. Hafsa Zayyan We Are All Birds of Uganda, $, available at bookshop.orgSadhbh O’Sullivan, Health & Living WriterBook: Luster by Raven LeilaniWhy is it your January read? Leilani’s debut is finally out in the UK in January and I am so excited to dig in. I’ve not seen a book go wild pre-publication since Sally Rooney entered our lives. Sharp, funny and affecting, the novel charts Edie’s awkward slalom through modern life, from dead-end hook-ups and crushed ambitions to a romantic liaison that has disaster written all over it. When one of my favourite writers, Carmen Maria Machado, says she will "follow this author anywhere she wants to take me", you know you’ll be in good hands.Raven Leilani Luster, $, available at bookshop.orgJessica Morgan, Staff WriterBook: Blessings, Mainly Schoolings by The Nasty Poet Why is it your January read? Sophie Leseberg Smith aka The Nasty Poet has been on my radar for quite some time and finally I have in my hands her debut poetry book, Blessings, Mainly Schoolings. This colourful collection of 25 poems sees the 25-year-old south London spoken word artist musing about love, life and everything she’s going through. In one poem, "Self", Sophie acknowledges that it’s okay not to be perfect, celebrating your Ls and Ws and accepting that wherever you are in life is okay as long as you’re being your authentic self. If there’s one message I want to stick by in 2021, it’s that one. The Nasty Poet Blessings, Mainly Schoolings, $, available at The Nasty PoetVicky Spratt, Features EditorBook: Good Morning, Destroyer Of Men’s Souls by Nina Renata AronWhy is it your January read? This book is incredible. I read it in one sitting. We talk often about addiction and codependency but we rarely hear from the people who live this reality, even less so when they are women. As Aron writes in this memoir, "codependency is a girl’s song" which is never properly allowed to develop or have the same interiority or complexity as the addicts themselves. Aron, who writes of her relationships with three separate addicts, sets about righting that wrong and through her at once muscular, visceral and intimate writing of those experiences, more than succeeds. Read this. You won’t regret it. Nina Renata Aron Good Morning, Destroyer of Men's Souls, $, available at bookshop.orgAlicia Lansom, Editorial AssistantBook: Memorial by Bryan WashingtonWhy is it your January read? When I read the synopsis for this book I was immediately hooked by the idea of exploring the relationship between significant others and parents. This story follows Benson and Mike, a longtime couple who are starting to question why they are still together. When Mike finds out that his estranged father is dying in Osaka he flies over to Japan to say his goodbyes, just as his mother is arriving to visit him. This leaves Benson in a strange predicament, living alone alongside Mitsuko (Mike’s mum). Discussing family dynamics, romantic relationships and exploring emotional pasts, this book looks to be a funny and heartfelt read that will gently ease me into the new year.Bryan Washington Memorial, $, available at bookshop.orgClaire Porter, Audience Development ManagerBook: Your Story, My Story by Connie PalmenWhy is it your January read? When I heard a novel was coming out exploring the tragic demise of the iconic Sylvia Plath, I knew I had to pre-order. Like so many others, I went through the rite of passage of reading The Bell Jar and fell in love with Plath's writing. This novel, which is told from the perspective of her long-term partner Ted Hughes, is set to blur the lines between fact and fiction, reimagining their volatile seven-year relationship which has been sensationalised by the media for decades, ending with Plath’s death in 1963. Connie Palmen Your Story, My Story, $, available at bookshop.orgLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Top Black Women Authors Share Their Book FavesI'm An Editor For Stormzy's #Merky BooksBooks By Successful Women That'll Help Your Career
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