New Fiction and Nonfiction Releases for This Week

Min Jin Lee's novel, "American Hagwon," published by Cardinal, is described as an enthralling family saga filled with intrigue and secrets, earning praise for its exquisite prose from Clint Smith.

Hernan Diaz releases "Ply" through Riverhead, characterized by Vogue as a page-turning and deeply humane vision of a possible future.

Ayad Akhtar's "The Radiance," published by Summit, is noted by Mary Gaitskill for its intimate yet culturally expansive narrative.

Among the nonfiction titles is Evan Gershkowitz's memoir, "This Cursed Beautiful Land," released by Crown. Patrick Radden Keefe highlights it as a tribute to journalism and a poignant exploration of hope under authoritarianism.

Cheyenne Roundtree’s biography, "Bad Boy for Life: The Rise and Fall of Sean Combs," published by Holt, is described by Publishers Weekly as a masterful character study of the hip-hop mogul.

John Grisham offers a new thriller, "The French Illusion," from Doubleday, which recounts a nightmare unfolding during a Paris honeymoon, according to the publisher.

Mahmoud Khalil's memoir, "No Land to Stand On: Notes From Detention," published by Metropolitan, has received acclaim for its clear-eyed analysis and the strength of its narrative from Kamila Shamsie.

Deesha Philyaw’s "The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman," released by Mariner, is recognized by Kristen Arnett for its comedic yet emotionally affecting storytelling.

Bobby Finger and Lindsay Weber's "I Want to Be Famous: When Everybody and Nobody is a Celebrity," published by Crown, is described by Samantha Irby as sharp and educational, blending highbrow and lowbrow cultural critique.

Other notable releases include:

- Carla Vass, "The Rally" (Union Square) - a scrumptious novel praised by Chris Bohjalian.

- Robert Kolker, "The Vanishing Family: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia" (Doubleday) - noted for its extraordinary investigation by Rachel Aviv.

- Sarah Blakely-Cartwright, "Heavy Cream" (Simon & Schuster) - branded smart and edgy by Oprah Daily.

- Anand Giridharadas, "Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City" (Knopf) - commended by Min Jin Lee.

- Sarah Hepola, "The Only Thing There is to Want: A Memoir of Three Loves" (Dial Press) - recognized for its profound insights by Lori Gottlieb.

- Rebecca Perry, "May We Feed the King" (Transit) - praised by Times Literary Supplement for its exploration of resurrection through fiction.

- Malcolm Gladwell, "The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic" (Little Brown) - highlighted by Booklist for its informative inquiry.

- Simon Sebag Montefiore, "The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East" (Knopf) - recommended for its humanitarian political chronicle by Literary Review.

- Meg Mason, "Sophie Standing There" (Harper) - noted for its emotional depth by Booklist.

- Tom Overton, "John Berger: From Life" (Verso) - described as an authoritative biography by Kirkus.

- Patrick deWitt, "Dodge City" (Ecco) - acknowledged for its humor and poignant character portraits by Publishers Weekly.

- Douglas Smith, "The City Without Jews: Life and Death in Nazi Vienna" (FSG) - a historical account praised by Kirkus.

- Sarah Langan, "Trad Wife" (Atria) - highlighted for its unique entry into the horror genre by Publishers Weekly.