No matter what else happened, 2023 is a banner year for amazing new books.
Whether you promised yourself you’d read more this year, or you simply need a new book club recommendation to sink your teeth into, our list of the top 5 Nigerian Authors to read in 2023 has you covered.
And while some of these books may not be on shelves quite yet (or may be delayed due to supply chain issues), you should hit that preorder button anyway. Ordering books in advance not only gives you mail to look forward to that isn’t a bill, but it helps support authors too. If you think we’ve missed something that should be included on our list, let us know in the comments — we always love discovering new books.
Here are 5 Books By 5 Nigerians Authors to Read in 2023
Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe
It is always an exciting thing to see writers explore multiple genres. Upon its release in June 2020, Ukamaka’s debut Ogadinma ignited conversations within the African literary space on women’s role in society, trauma and abuse. Her forthcoming novel Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name promises a story set in a multiverse inspired by Igbo mythology; a blend of The Hunger Games and Ben Okri’s The Famished Road, I look forward to picking up a copy. (Aiwanose Odafen)
Leave My Bones In Saskatoon by Michael Afenfia
Many Africans leave behind strong ties forged since birth to explore new connections in Canada every year. Some realize their dreams of stability and prosperity; others fail and yield to despair. Saskatoon-based Nigerian writer Michael Afenfia is familiar with the challenges many immigrants deal with in North America, having emigrated from Nigeria to Canada in 2019. His latest and sixth novel, Leave My Bones in Saskatoon, is about Africans pursuing the Canadian dream. (Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike)
Rose and the Burma Sky by Rosanna Amaka
Amaka’s new novel has been described as brilliant story that “weaves together the realities of war, the pain of first love and how following your heart might not always be the best course of action.” Set in 1939, during the Second World War, this story is told from the perspective of young boy and with it “a spare and impassioned intensity, charging it with universal resonance and power.” We can’t wait to read it.
Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun
In the midst of a tyrannical regime and political invasion, Dèmi just wants to survive: to avoid the suspicion of the nonmagical Ajes who occupy her ancestral homeland of Ife; to escape the King’s brutal genocide of her people—the darker skinned, magic wielding Oluso; and to live peacefully with her secretive mother while learning to control the terrifying blood magic that is her birthright. (Voyager)
Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold by Umar Turaki
An inexplicable sickness. A small town cut off from the world. An unexpected community of survivors forges a family out of the despair, struggling against things known and unknown for survival and hope. Umar Turaki’s gripping novel is a story of survival, love, and the human spirit’s tenacious capacity for wonder.
