Welcome to the last month of 2024. We have finally made it to the end of the year, and oh boy, what a year it has been. We are quick to end the year, but let us try to end 2024 on a good note, closing out with some great book recommendations.
While you get through the long winter nights and the holiday season, why not escape to the Regency era and embark on a deadly murder mystery? Or how about dreaming about a warmer climate, with friends-with-benefits romance in the background? Or maybe you just want to learn how female physicists make scientific history? Ring out 2024 with one of these highlighted releases. You might find the perfect holiday gift along the way!
Featured Book of the Month
The Only Way Out by Sarah Daniels
The exciting conclusion to The Stranded duology!
Trust no one.
It’s been six months since the Arcadia set sail. But this wasn’t the freedom the inhabitants were hoping for. Esther did what she had to do, but she left a trail of destruction in her wake. Now the wrecked ship is abandoned, and its inhabitants are in exile, trapped in makeshift shelters.
Esther and Nik, architects of the rebellion, are on the run. Esther is in hiding and Nik seems to have abandoned all hope. But neither of them wants to face up to their true feelings for each other. And there’s a new villain in town: ruthless Admiral Janek who wants to deal with the traitors while outrunning her own shady past.
When the shaky ceasefire negotiated by Nik’s mom, General Lall, falls apart, Nik and Esther find themselves in a world of betrayals and double crossings–a game of power with no one to trust but themselves. (Credit: Sourcebooks Fire)
Murder in Season by Mary Winters
“A beautiful debutante, a wealthy widow, and a dead would-be baron. What could be more exciting?”
Countess by day, secret advice columnist by night, Amelia Amesbury has life happily balanced on a quill’s edge . . . until her sister Margaret shows up in London under a blanket of scandal and Amelia is catapulted out of mourning and into the ton’s unforgiving Season.
However Madge’s Season debut is marred by a rather inconvenient death at the dining table as the infamous Mr Radcliffe takes ill and is later confirmed dead by poisoning. With Madge being the last person to have cross words with the soon-to-be baron, the ton’s gossip mill – and the police – are looking to pin the murder on her.
Adding to the ton’s troubles is a jewellery thief targeting the most lavish of Society’s houses. Is the murderer and the thief one in the same? It falls to Amelia once again to uncover the secrets buried deep within the pages before her sister goes down for the crimes. (Credit: Severn House)
The Rivals by Jane Pek
Claudia Lin–mystery novel superfan and, until recently, clichéd underemployed English major–has scored her dream job: co-running Veracity, a dating detective agency for chronically online New Yorkers who want to know if their prospective partners are telling the truth. Unfortunately, along the way, she and her colleagues–tech savant Squirrel, and the elegant and intimidating Becks–have uncovered a far-reaching AI conspiracy. And the corporate matchmakers may be resorting to murder to protect their secrets.
In the wake of a client’s sudden death, Claudia convinces his ex, an industry insider, to turn on his employer and feed the verifiers information about what the powerful dating platforms are really up to. But even as Claudia starts to get a feel for this new genre–just call her Lin, Claudia Lin–she’s distracted by the possibility of romance with both Becks and a very charming target. She also fears that her beloved older brother is unwittingly being drawn into the matchmakers’ deadly web. And as Becks reminds Claudia: spy tropes dictate that someone you trust will betray you.(Credit: Vintage)
When the Mapou Sings by Nadine Pinede
Infused with magical realism, this story blends first love and political intrigue with a quest for justice and self-determination in 1930s Haiti.
Sixteen-year-old Lucille hopes to one day open a school alongside her best friend where girls just like them can learn what it means to be Haitian: to learn from the mountains and the forests around them, to carve, to sew, to draw, and to sing the songs of the Mapou, the sacred trees that dot the island nation. But when her friend vanishes without a trace, a dream–a gift from the Mapou–tells Lucille to go to her village’s section chief, the local face of law, order, and corruption, which puts her life and her family’s at risk.
Forced to flee her home, Lucille takes a servant post with a wealthy Haitian woman from society’s elite in Port-au-Prince. Despite a warning to avoid him, she falls in love with her employer’s son. But when their relationship is found out, she must leave again–this time banished to another city to work for a visiting American writer and academic conducting fieldwork in Haiti. While Lucille’s new employer studies vodou and works on the novel that will become Their Eyes Were Watching God, Lucille risks losing everything she cares about–and any chance of seeing her best friend again–as she fights to save their lives and secure her future in this novel in verse with the racing heart of a thriller. (Credit: Candlewick Press)
We Did Nothing Wrong by Hannah Jayne
Lia thought of the dark night, of the broken street light.
Had Diana gone out to meet her? Had she been waiting for her, alone in the park?
Or had someone been waiting for Diana?
Lia and Diana are the “it girls” of Empire Hill High. Their lives are perfect….until Diana disappears and the rumors start flying.
Everyone thinks Diana is a runaway, including the police. Lia is secretly convinced it’s all a prank. Then she finds a crushed red rose tied with a candy-cane ribbon where Diana went missing. And next to it, a note:
YOU
It’s the same ribbon Lia’s received on gifts from a “secret admirer.” Did someone come for Diana that night? And will Lia be next? (Credit: Sourcebooks Fire)
My Darling Boy by Helen Cooper
What if mother doesn’t know best…?
In a close-knit English village, Chrissy and Alice were once best friends. So were their sons, Leo and Robbie. Until the night Leo killed Robbie with a single, devastating punch. Now Leo has gone to prison, Chrissy has lost her pub, and Alice has been pouring her anger into a twisted project . . .As Leo’s parole date approaches, the villagers are incensed and fearful about the prospect of his return. But when Chrissy arrives to collect Leo from prison, he isn’t there. The staff tell her he has already been released, but nobody knows where he’s gone.
As the village closes ranks, Chrissy realizes her former friends are suspects in her son’s disappearance, not the least of which is still-bitter Alice. Is Leo being punished for what happened that terrible night? Or do the answers lie further back, in a dark past none of them wants to revisit? (Credit: G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox
Expected Publication Date: December 10
On the run from his shady past, Lynch has just arrived in London, still looking over his shoulder to make sure he isn’t being followed. His phone is dead, he has no money, no contacts, no one at all. Until he runs into a young woman named Bobbie who mistakes him for her brother, Heydon Pierce, who disappeared five years ago without a trace.
At Bobbie’s suggestion, Lynch goes to the Pierce family home, posing as Heydon to try and con some money out of them. But far from tricking them, his subterfuge is instantly discovered. He strikes the devil’s bargain with them – their silence for his cooperation in finding out what really happened to Heydon.
But Lynch’s investigation goes too deep and uncovers the fact that Heydon Pierce was tangled up with some dangerous and powerful people in London. Everyone has their own motives to keep Heydon well buried in the past. In such a conspiracy of mirrors, there’s only one thing Lynch know for certain: the only person he can trust is himself. (Credit: Sourcebooks Landmark)
Moon Man Vol. 1 by Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi and Kyle Higgins and illustrated by Marco Locati
Expected Publication Date: December 10
Superstar musician SCOTT “KID CUDI” MESCUDI makes his comics debut alongside Eisner Award-nominated co-writer KYLE HIGGINS (RADIANT BLACK) and breakout artist MARCO LOCATI!
Ramon is ready for a quiet life. Whatever went wrong on that failed moon mission, whatever happened in the missing minutes the cameras didn’t capture, all he really wants is to settle down back home. But Ramon will soon discover that the accident left him changed–and, as the eyes of the world turn to him, he’ll have to discover his new powers, protect his family, and work out who to trust as he takes his first steps into becoming something more.
Collects MOON MAN #1-5. (Credit: Image Comics)
Only For The Week by Natasha Bishop
Expected Publication Date: December 10
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Amerie Cross and Arnold Hightower.
A destination wedding in Tulum should be a breeze, but Dr. Janelle Cross–the sister of the bride and the ex-girlfriend of the groom–can’t catch a break. Between her maid of honor duties, her sister’s Bridezilla antics, and her family tiptoeing around her non-existent feelings for her ex, Janelle is desperate to let off some steam. So, when the best man, Rome, proposes they give into their undeniable chemistry, Janelle agrees, under one condition: their affair can only last a week.
What happens in Tulum doesn’t always stay in Tulum . . .
For Rome Martin, Janelle has always been off limits. She’s his best friends ex, and Rome is nothing if not loyal. But he’s never been able to get her off his mind, and now he might finally have a chance to win her over.
As the wedding brings them together, every kiss, adventure, and stolen moment feels right. Janelle and Rome agreed to live in the moment, but are they willing to risk it all for forever? (Credit: Zando – Slowburn)
No/One by Kyle Higgins, Brian Buccellato & Geraldo Borges
Expected Publication Date: December 10
Soon to be a major motion picture!
Last year, the Richard Roe murders shocked the city of Pittsburgh. In the months since, the killings have sparked a dangerous political movement, copycat killers, and a masked vigilante who’s still determined to hold the powerful accountable. Not a symbol. Not a hero. They could be anyone. They’re NO/ONE.PLUS!
The story continues in WHO IS NO/ONE, an included 10-episode audio series starring RACHAEL LEIGH COOK (She’s All That), PATTON OSWALT (Netflix’s The Sandman), TODD STASHWICK (Star Trek: Picard), YURI LOWENTHAL (Insomniac’s Spider-Man), LOREN LESTER (Batman: The Animated Series), ADAM McARTHUR (Jujutsu Kaisen) and more!Immerse yourself in the groundbreaking true-crime multimedia superhero series ahead of its feature film debut!
Collects NO/ONE #1-10 (Credit: Image Comics)
Rainbows After Storms, Vol. 1 by Luka Kobachi
Expected Publication Date: December 10
Are high-school girls Nanoha and Chidori ready to face the storms in their new romantic relationship together?
Nanoha and Chidori are best friends who attend the same all-girls high school–and also share a heart-pounding secret: they’re lovers. Through sunny days and tumultuous storms, they’re always ready for new adventures together.
For Nanoha and Chidori, best friends turned lovers, normal situations for close friends turn into electrifying moments through the lens of love. Between sharing furtive looks and promise bracelets, the pair spend their hectic school days flirting in secret and hiding their relationship from their friends. (Credit: Viz Media)
Booked for Murder: An Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery by P. J. Nelson
Expected Publication Date: December 10
In this atmospheric southern cozy debut, Madeline Brimley returns to the bookstore she inherited, discovering that small towns hold deadly secrets.
Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she’s left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn’t leave immediately.
But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there’s another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it’s up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim. (Credit: Minotaur Books)
Heretic by Robbie Morrison and Charlie Adlard
Expected Publication Date: December 10
Sherlock Holmes meets The Name of the Rose in this dark and thrilling graphic novel reimagining of one of the most fascinating Renaissance figures.
Belgium, 1529: The city of Antwerp is ravaged by a macabre series of killings. Forced to investigate by the all-powerful Inquisition, knight, doctor, lawyer and reputed black magician Cornelius Agrippa and his young pupil Johan Weyer are plunged into a maelstrom of murder, madness and magic.
Featuring stunning black and white illustrations, HERETIC is a gripping original graphic novel by artist extraordinaire and former Comics Laureate Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), and award-winning crime novelist Robbie Morrison (Edge of the Grave). (Credit: Image Comics)
Not in My Book by Katie Holt
Expected Publication Date: December 10
Rosie writes romance novels and listens to Taylor Swift on loop. Aiden is a literary fiction writer who doesn’t believe in happy endings. They’re about to write a book together–what could go wrong?
The Hating Game meets Beach Read in this sexy and hilarious enemies-to-lovers romance from a debut Peruvian-Tennessean voice.
Rosie, an idealistic and passionate Peruvian American, leaves her Tennessee hometown to pursue her dream of making it in New York as a writer. But her plan is derailed when she ends up in class with her archnemesis and ex-crush, Aiden Huntington–an obnoxious, surly, and gorgeous literary fiction writer who doesn’t have much patience for the romance genre or for Rosie.
Rosie and Aiden regularly go to verbal battle in workshop until their professor reaches her breaking point. She allows them to stay in her class on one condition: they must cowrite a novel that blends their genres.
The reluctant writing duo can’t help but put pieces of themselves into their accidentally steamy novel, and their manuscript-in-progress provides an outlet for them to confess their feelings–and explore their attraction toward each other.
When Rosie and Aiden find themselves competing against each other for a potentially career-changing opportunity, the flames of old rivalry reignite, and their once-in-a-lifetime love story is once again at risk of being shelved–unless they can find a way to end the book on their own terms. (Credit: Alcove Press)
When the Stammer Came to Stay by Maggie O’Farrell and illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini
Expected Publication Date: December 10
The author of Hamnet explores sisterly affection and what it means to rediscover your voice–and yourself–in this illustrated storybook.
This is the tale of two sisters . . .
who had no idea that everything was about to change.
QuietBea keeps her shoes polished, folds her clothes every night, and alphabetizes her books. Her rambunctious sister Min wears torn trousers and wades into ponds to collect frogspawn. Above all, Min is a storyteller who loves to chat with everyone. But one day she chokes, and the words forming in her mouth never make it out. Words suddenly feel dangerous, unwieldly. Min is no longer herself–not with some strange creature stealing her words, a creature not even her sister can see. But that doesn’t matter, because Bea sees Min. Award-winning author Maggie O’Farrell pulls from her own experiences with stammering to create a realistic portrait of shaken self-confidence and how sharing painful situations with a loved one can make all the difference. Featuring expressive and detailed illustrations from Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, this book will speak to readers who have ever lost a part of themselves–and found something new in return. (Credit:
Walker Books Us)
Dancing Dumplings for My One and Only by Eva Wong Nava and illustrated by Natelle Quek
Expected Publication Date: December 17
When her grandmother falls ill, a young girl pours her love, memories, and worry into the dumplings her grandmother taught her to make in this heartwarming–and mouthwatering–picture book.
Dumplings dance in water like Grandma moves through tai chi beats: slow, firm, focused. When the autumn leaves are tumbling, there’s nothing better than coming home from the park and helping Grandma roll, fill, and pinch ingots of meat and cabbage. “Dancing dumplings for my one and only,” Grandma says, scooping them up for her granddaughter. But as the season grows colder, Grandma says she can’t make dumplings for her one and only, not today. The child watches her grandmother wheeze and sneeze in bed, and although her heart da-dubs with fear, she lights incense and keeps her company until the day her grandmother is well enough to dance again–made stronger and healthier by the dumplings her granddaughter now cooks for her. Sumptuously and scrumptiously illustrated by Natelle Quek, Eva Wong Nava’s story captures the wonderful bond between grandchild and grandparent–and how powerful and healing the act of sharing food can be. An author’s note deepens the message of the importance of cultural foods in our relationships to both our heritage and loved ones. (Credit: Candlewick Press)
Black Girls Breathing: Heal from Trauma, Combat Chronic Stress, and Find Your Freedom by Jasmine Marie
Expected Publication Date: December 17
Harness the power of breathwork with this compassionate, healing guide for Black women.
As a Black woman, Jasmine Marie knows the impact that intergenerational trauma and systemic racism have had–and continue to have–on her community. Those experiences, along with her own journey through chronic stress, are why she created black girls breathing(R), a movement dedicated to helping Black women understand the power of the mind-body connection and its impact on their holistic health, one breath at a time.
In Black Girls Breathing, Jasmine Marie offers you the power of breathwork, and the revolutionary nature of slowing down and turning inward. With each intentional breath, you’ll learn how to sink deeper into your body to begin to undo the trauma that’s long been stored. Sharing exercises from her unique somatic philosophies proven by data and utilized by tens of thousands of participants to date, Jasmine Marie will also help you:
- Connect more fully to your body
- Give yourself permission to rest
- Heal the chronic stress you carry in your body and nervous system
- Address emotional pain
- Rebuild your sense of self and your community
This is a long-overdue resource for every Strong Black Woman–the woman ready to break cycles of trauma, heal the internalized beliefs of perfectionism and conditional self-worth, and follow the wisdom of her inner voice.(Credit: Balance)
Stuck In The Country With You by Zuri Day
Expected Publication Date: December 24
She’s packing her bags–and her baggage.
Ten years ago, Genesis Washington made a very poor decision. At the time, it seemed great. Fantastic. Explosive. But the truth is, your one-night rebound should never be your younger brother’s rival. And he definitely shouldn’t be someone who allegedly only slept with you to gain the upper hand–even if the sex was amazing.
Now Genesis is blindsided when the farm she’s inherited just happens to be right next door to Jaxson King, the regrettable one-night stand she’s still painfully attracted to. This man has aged like the finest of wines, and what’s worse, he’s now a thoughtful and responsible father. Good thing Genesis has a (*cough* long-distance *cough*) boyfriend. Well, sort of. It’s complicated.
Jaxson and his hotness should be easy enough to ignore. But when city-girl Genesis discovers there’s a serious learning curve to her humble new home, it’s Jaxson who’s there to lend a very skilled helping hand. With every problem that arises, Jaxson is seemingly making all the right moves–both on the farm and when things heat up behind closed doors. But, surely, that doesn’t mean he’s right for Genesis, does it? (Credit: Afterglow Books by Harlequin)
All the Lonely People: Conversations on Loneliness by Sam Carr
Expected Publication Date: December 31
In stories of love and loss, of trauma and hope, told from care homes, living rooms, classrooms and kitchens, All the Lonely People is an intimate portrait of loneliness. Over countless cups of tea, psychologist Dr Sam Carr has collected hours of conversations with people young and old, including single parents, carers, teenagers and the bereaved, and found that while each of their stories is utterly unique, they are all born out of the same desire for human connection.
As Carr interweaves these touching and powerful tales with his own personal narrative, he opens a window onto the inner lives of regular people – the forgotten, misplaced or misjudged – who all feel isolated in some way. Sparking a profound conversation about a universal emotion, which may simply be an inevitable part of life, he questions what we can do to build stronger human relationships and be a part of something bigger than ourselves in an increasingly disjointed world. (Credit: Picador UK)
The Players by Minette Walters
Expected Publication Date: December 31
England, 1685. Decades after the end of the English Civil War, the country is once again divided when Charles II’s illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle.
Armed only with pitchforks, Monmouth’s army is quickly defeated by King James II’s superior forces and charged with high treason. Those found guilty will be hanged, drawn, and quartered.
As Dorset braces for carnage, the formidable Lady Jayne Harrier and her enigmatic son, assisted by the reclusive daughter of a local magistrate, contrive ways to save men from the gallows.
Compelling and powerful, The Players is a story of guile, deceit, and compassion. Secrets are kept and surprising friendships formed in a dangerous gamble to thwart a brutal king’s thirst for vengeance … (Credit: Blackstone Publishing)
Open When: A Companion for Life’s Twists & Turns by Dr. Julie Smith
Expected Publication Date: December 31
In this essential guide, Dr. Julie teaches her millions of readers and clients how to navigate life’s toughest occurrences while they’re happening, rather than moments or years after the fact. What if we can learn to harness our emotions and stay present so we can process and choose how to respond to a situation?
Picking up where Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? leaves off, Dr. Julie shares the research-backed concepts and powerful skills we can use to weather our most vulnerable moments. Learn how to move through any situation with grace, including: When it’s hard to be with yourself: facing vulnerability alone, dealing with your inner critic, and handling imposter syndrome. When it’s hard to be with other people: dealing with betrayal and knowing what to do when you (or your parents) got it wrong. When it’s hard to be with your feelings: coping with loneliness, fear, and hopelessness When you’re healing from the past: getting out of a trauma response and learning how to stop ruminating about old events. When you’re looking to the future: preventing making the same mistakes, tackling uncertainty, and finding your path.
Open When teaches each of us to find and listen to the positive voice within when we need it most, and to care for our future selves and our mental health. (Credit: HarperOne)
Sisters in Science: How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History by Olivia Campbell
Expected Publication Date: December 31
In the 1930s, Germany was a hotbed of scientific thought. But after the Nazis took power, Jewish and female citizens were forced out of their academic positions. Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer and Hildegard Stücklen were eminent in their fields, but they had no choice but to flee due to their Jewish ancestry or anti-Nazi sentiments.
Their harrowing journey out of Germany became a life-and-death situation that required Herculean efforts of friends and other prominent scientists. Lise fled to Sweden, where she made a groundbreaking discovery in nuclear physics, and the others fled to the United States, where they brought advanced physics to American universities. No matter their destination, each woman revolutionized the field of physics when all odds were stacked against them, galvanizing young women to do the same.
Well researched and written with cinematic prose, Sisters in Science brings these trailblazing women to life and shows us how sisterhood and scientific curiosity can transcend borders and persist–flourish, even–in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. (Credit: Park Row)
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