5 books not to miss: Mariah Carey opens up in memoir, Nick Hornby charms with new romance

In search of something good to read? USA TODAY's Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.

1. "The Meaning of Mariah Carey," by Mariah Carey (Andy Cohen Books, nonfiction, on sale Sept. 29)

What it’s about: The award-winning music icon tells the story of her life, unfiltered, in her own words. “Writing this memoir was incredibly hard, humbling and healing. My sincere hope is that you are moved to a new understanding, not only about me, but also about the resilience of the human spirit,” Carey says.

The buzz: USA TODAY writes that readers “will appreciate and devour unapologetic chapters that aim to take back the narrative on Carey's terms.”

"The Meaning of Mariah Carey," by Mariah Carey.
"The Meaning of Mariah Carey," by Mariah Carey.

2. “The Talented Miss Farwell,” by Emily Gray Tedrowe (Custom House, fiction, on sale Sept. 29)

What it’s about: Becky Farwell of Pierson, Illinois, is an unassuming town treasurer who lives in her family’s farmhouse. Reba Farwell is a big-time New York City art collector. Problem is, they’re the same person, and her scheme to use the town’s funds to fuel her art dealings spirals out of control.

The buzz: “The unusual plot and Tedrowe’s spirited execution of it make this one sing,” says a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

3. "Jack," by Marilynne Robinson (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, fiction, on sale Sept. 29)

What it’s about: The Pulitzer Prize-winner’s latest is a star-crossed interracial romance, in which the white prodigal son of a Presbyterian minister in Gilead, Iowa, falls in love with a Black high school teacher who’s also the son of a preacher.

The buzz: “Robinson is a singular figure in American fiction,” says a ★★★ (out of four) review for USA TODAY.

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4. “Nala’s World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride Around the Globe,” by Dean Nicholson and Garry Jenkins (Grand Central, nonfiction, on sale Sept. 29)

What it’s about: Instagram’s favorite feline-loving Scotsman tells the inspiring story of his life-changing friendship with his rescue cat, Nala, and their bike adventures around the world.

The buzz: Nicholson and Nala’s Instagram account @1bike1world is all the buzz this charming book needs.

5. “Just Like You,” by Nick Hornby (Riverhead Books, fiction, on sale Sept. 29)

What it’s about: A 41-year-old white woman and 22-year-old Black man make for an unlikely but winning couple in this breezy London-set romance.

The buzz: “There’s no way your inner monologue is as articulate, funny, clever and sensitive as are those of Hornby’s characters,” says a ★★★½ review for USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New books: Mariah Carey memoir, Nick Hornby's 'Just Like You'