Although we are entering the new year with some hesitation and uncertainty, that does not mean we can have a little excitement for 2025, especially in the form of new books! Revenge thrillers, spicy romances, and exciting road trips. 2025 will bring book lovers the joy and fillment they strive for in their reading life! Check out this extensive list of highlighted 2025 book releases that you need to keep your eye on!
We’re focusing on books from January to June, with some highlights for the end of the year.
January Releases
The Killing Sense by Sam Blake
Expected Publication Dates: January 2
Danger is closer than you think…
Single Mum Kate Wilde has escaped an abusive marriage and hasn’t had a holiday in years, so when she wins a five-day trip to Paris to learn about perfume – in a competition she can’t remember entering – it’s a dream come true. Or is it?
Almost as soon as she arrives, Kate’s ex texts with evidence that he’s in Paris too. Kate can feel she’s being watched, and she’s sure someone has been in her apartment. Then she discovers that there’s a killer in the city focusing on red headed women like her. And his kill count is rising.
Who should she fear the most?
All Kate’s senses are on alert. But can her instincts keep her safe? (Credit: Atlantic Books)
The Sad Ghost Club: A Hopeful Guide to Getting Through Bad Days by Lize Meddings
Expected Publication Date: January 2
Welcome to the Sad Ghost Club – a club for anyone who has ever felt sad or lost.
We can all feel anxious and alone sometimes. Like you’re almost . . . invisible. But at the Sad Ghost Club, you can find your kindred spirits and know you’re not alone.
In this graphic novel, discover the Sad Ghost Club’s rules for taking things one day at a time. With heartwarming and very relatable comic illustrations, discover how to make it through the day, grow through the hard stuff and look out for your fellow ghosties.
Based on the Sad Ghost Club community, with over 600k followers on Instagram. This is a place where everyone is accepted and everyone belongs. (Credit: Hachette Children’s Group)
Babylonia by Costanza Casati
Expected Publication Date: January 14
A common woman. The governor she married. The king who loved them both.
Babylonia across the centuries has become the embodiment of lust, excess, and dissolute power that ruled Ancient Assyria. In this world you had to kill to be king. Or, in the case of Semiramis, an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire:
Queen.
Nothing about Semiramis’s upbringing could have foretold her legacy. But when she meets a young representative of the new Assyrian king, a prophecy unfolds before her, one that puts her in the center of a brutal world and in the hearts of two men – one who happens to be king.
Now a risen lady in a court of vipers, Semiramis becomes caught in the politics and viciousness of ancient Assyria. Instead of bartering with fate, Semiramis trains in war and diplomacy. And with each move, she rises in rank, embroiled in a game of power, desire, love, and betrayal, until she can ascend to the only position that will ever keep her safe.
In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her. (Credit: Sourcebooks Landmark)
The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley
Expected Publication Date: January 14
A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge . . .
The year is 1862 and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial “humanitarianism,” which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.
Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle–even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.
Inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, The Queen’s Spade is a lush and riveting historical thriller perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Grave Mercy. (Credit: HarperCollins)
An African History of Africa: From The Dawn of Humanity to Independence by Seinab Badawi
Expected Publishing Date: January 14
Everyone is originally from Africa, and this book is therefore for everyone.
For too long, Africa’s history has been dominated by western narratives of slavery and colonialism, or simply ignored. Now, Zeinab Badawi sets the record straight.
In this fascinating book, Badawi guides us through Africa’s spectacular history—from the very origins of our species, through ancient civilizations and medieval empires with remarkable queens and kings, to the miseries of conquest and the elation of independence. Visiting more than thirty African countries to interview countless historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and local storytellers, she unearths buried histories from across the continent and gives Africa its rightful place in our global story.
The result is a gripping new account of Africa: an epic, sweeping history of the oldest inhabited continent on the planet, told through the voices of Africans themselves. (Credit: Mariner Books)
- The Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell (Expected Release Date: January 7)
- The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold (Expected Release Date: January 7)
- Welcome to Camp Killer by Cynthia Murphy (Expected Release Date: January 14)
- Brewed With Love by Shelley Page (Expected Release Date: January 14)
- The Reunion by Beth Reekles (Expected Release Date: January 14)
- So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne (Expected Release Date: January 16)
- Where The Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan (Expected Release Date: January 21)
- Tokyo Alien Bros., Vol. 1 by Keigo Shinzo (Expected Release Date: January 21)
- The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay (Expected Release Date: January 21)
- The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn (Expected Release Date: January 28)
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Fenney
Expected Publication Date: January 14
Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.
He calls his wife, Abby, to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge, the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there . . . but his wife has disappeared.
A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. (Credit: Flatiron Books)
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Expected Publication Date: January 14
The future of storytelling is here.
Disabled, disinclined to marry, and more interested in writing than a lucrative career in medicine or law, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister’s lavish Caribbean wedding, she’s unceremoniously fired from her university job and, to add insult to injury, her novel is rejected by yet another publisher. With her career and dreams crushed in one fell swoop, she decides to write something just for herself. What comes out is nothing like the quiet, literary novels that have so far peppered her unremarkable career. It’s a far-future epic where androids and AI wage war in the grown-over ruins of human civilization. She calls it Rusted Robots.
When Zelu finds the courage to share her strange novel, she does not realize she is about to embark on a life-altering journey—one that will catapult her into literary stardom, but also perhaps obliterate everything her book was meant to be. From Chicago to Lagos to the far reaches of space, Zelu’s novel will change the future not only for humanity, but for the robots who come next.
A book-within-a-book that blends the line between writing and being written, Death of the Author is a masterpiece of metafiction that manages to combine the razor-sharp commentary of Yellowface with the heartfelt humanity of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Surprisingly funny, deeply poignant, and endlessly discussable, this is at once the tale of a woman on the margins risking everything to be heard and a testament to the power of storytelling to shape the world as we know it. (Credit: William Morrow)
Manga Classics Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1: A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Crystal Chan
Expected Publication Date: January 21
“There’s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it.”It is 1887 and a man has been murdered in an abandoned house. On his face is an expression of utter horror; in his pocket is a woman’s wedding ring. On the wall above him is the word RACHE, written in blood. But whose blood is it?Thus begins the story of one of the world’s most famous partnerships. Join Manga Classics now as we return to the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes, in which he and his newfound partner Dr. John Watson unravel the mystery behind a murder that spans the globe! (Credit: Manga Classics)
The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears
Expected Publication Date: January 28
Deep within the imperial palace at Timbuktu, Amie has suffered a devastating loss. Once the daughter of a prosperous salt merchant Amie’s life was cruelly overturned in a matter of months. At sixteen, Amie now finds herself disinherited, framed for a scandalous crime, and forced to serve Princess Mariama of Mali. Her father, Emperor Sulyeman, has created a series of impossible trials for his daughter’s suitors. When they fail, he publicly boils them alive, littering Mariama’s path to marriage with ninety-nine corpses.
At first, Amie’s life at court is drudgery–the chores are difficult, the servants despise her, and Princess Mariama is prone to mood swings–but the more she learns about the princess’s circumstances, the closer the two girls become. Amie and her intended, Kader, plan to escape Timbuktu and make a new life far away from the shadow of death that has fallen upon the emperor’s court, but she finds herself increasingly drawn to the princess in ways she doesn’t understand.
When a mysterious discovery forces her hand, she must choose between fleeing with the boy she loves or helping the princess to end the trials forever. Amie will need to draw on all of her strength and courage to make the perilous journey through the desert to seek the aid of an exiled god in a final, desperate attempt to take charge of her own destiny. (Credit: Flatiron Books)
‘Til Death by Busayo Matuluko
Expected Publication Date: January 30
Save the date . . . for a killer wedding!
True-crime-obsessed Lara Oyinlola is heading to Lagos for her favourite cousin, Dérin’s, wedding. It’s going to be a holiday filled with glitzy dress-fittings, glamorous parties and, of course, the star-studded event of the year.
But everything isn’t perfect in Dérin’s world. She’s been receiving anonymous threats telling her to cancel the wedding . . . or face dire consequences.
This is the moment Lara’s been waiting for: put her sleuthing knowledge to work and solve a real-life mystery. As Lara investigates, what she doesn’t expect to uncover is a web of secrets, malicious crimes, and near‑death encounters which promise to tear the family apart for good . . .
With sinister secrets, bitchy bridesmaids, annoying exes, and a gossip-loving amateur detective, this gripping mystery thriller from a standout debut author and award-nominated BookTokker will have readers hooked. (Credit: Simon and Schuster)
February Releases
A Long Time Gone by Johsua Moehling
Expected Publication Date: February 4
It’s time to put the past to rest…
Ben Packard was just a boy when his older brother disappeared. Ben watched him walk out the back door of their grandparents’ house and into the cold night.
His brother was never seen again.
Decades later, Deputy Packard finds himself with too much time on his hands. A shooting has him on leave and under investigation, and all he can do is dwell on the past. For the first time in years, new information about his brother has surfaced that may lead them to the location of a body.
The midwinter ground is frozen solid. Worse, Packard is cut off from department resources. As he strikes out to finally uncover the truth behind his brother’s disappearance, he stumbles on a separate, suspicious death. A tenuous connection exists between the two cases, and as Packard starts to dig, he meets fierce resistance from friends and foes alike who want him to stand down.
The winter is long and cold. By the end of it, Packard will risk everything to catch a killer and reveal the shocking truth about his brother. (Credit: Poisoned Pen Press)
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
Expected publication date: February 4
In 1919, a high school teacher from Washington, D.C arrives in Harlem excited to realize her lifelong dream. Jessie Redmon Fauset has been named the literary editor of The Crisis. The first Black woman to hold this position at a preeminent Negro magazine, Jessie is poised to achieve literary greatness. But she holds a secret that jeopardizes it all.
W. E. B. Du Bois, the founder of The Crisis, is not only Jessie’s boss, he’s her lover. And neither his wife, nor their fourteen-year-age difference can keep the two apart. Amidst rumors of their tumultuous affair, Jessie is determined to prove herself. She attacks the challenge of discovering young writers with fervor, finding sixteen-year-old Countee Cullen, seventeen-year-old Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen, who becomes one of her best friends. Under Jessie’s leadership, The Crisis thrives…every African American writer in the country wants their work published there.
When her first novel is released to great acclaim, it’s clear that Jessie is at the heart of a renaissance in Black music, theater, and the arts. She has shaped a generation of literary legends, but as she strives to preserve her legacy, she’ll discover the high cost of her unparalleled success. (Credit: Viking)
The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest
Expected publication date: February 4
Iris Greene used to be a woman with a plan. But all of that changed after she met the love of her life at twenty-five, got pregnant and married…and then became a widow and a single mother all in a little over two years. Now, after years of hustling, Iris is the director of partnerships at a beauty company and raising sweet six-year-old Calla by herself. Despite her busy life, she still can’t help but feel lonely. She just needs to catch her breath–and one night, at her sister’s wedding, when she steps outside to do just that, she sees a certain singer who takes her breath away. . . .By all accounts, pop R&B singer Angel Hughes has it made. He’s a successful musician and has just scored a brand ambassador deal with an emerging beauty company. But he’s still not fulfilled; he’s not producing songs he’s passionate about, and there’s a gaping hole in his love life. When he visits the Save Face Beauty office to kickstart his campaign, he’s delighted to see Iris, his stylist’s sister–the beautiful woman he’s secretly had a crush on for years.
Despite their obvious attraction to each other, they must stay professional throughout the campaign tour–a goal that doesn’t quite pan out. But when it becomes clear their lives aren’t in sync, can they fall back in step to the same rhythm and beat? (Credit: Berkley Books)
We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes
Expected publication: February 11
Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Her career is in freefall and her love life is . . . complicated. So when her real dad–a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago–suddenly appears on her doorstep, it feels like the final straw. But it turns out even the family you thought you could never forgive might have something to teach you: about love, and what it actually means to be family. (Credit: Pamela Dorman Books)
Give Him To Me by Dorothy Koomson
Expected publication: February 13
Profiler and therapist Kez Layon is slowly getting used to her new job working in a behavioural sciences unit with some of the worst people she has ever met. She regularly plots an escape but knows she is there for the foreseeable.
Then she is called in to work on the case of April Manga. Twenty-five-year-old April was twelve when she witnessed her controlling and abusive father brutally murder her mother.
Rather than go to prison, her well-connected father was given the chance of life in witness protection with a new name and erased background. April was put into care.
After struggling all her life to make sense of what she saw, she’s decided it’s time for a family reunion – so she’s killing everyone who had anything to do with her father’s case until they turn him over to her.
Can Kez get into April’s mind quickly enough to find her before she kills again, or will they have to do as the notes April leaves on her victims say . . . and give him to her? (Credit: Headline Publishing Group)
- Lover Birds by Leanne Egan (Expected Release Date: February 4)
- The Woman In The Wallpaper by Lora Jones (Expected Release Date: February 4)
- Criminal Volume 1: Coward by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Expected Release Date: February 4)
- The Boy I Love by William Hussey (Expected Release Date: February 6)
- A Game of Scandal by Laura Wood (Expected Release Date: February 13)
- Frenemies with Benefits by Synithia Williams (Expected Release Date: February 11)
- Little Red Death by A.K. Benedict (Expected Release Date: February 13)
- The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens (Expected Release Date: February 18)
- The Antique Hunter’s Death on the Red Sea by C.L. Miller (Expected Release Date: February 18)
- Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (Expected Release Date: February 25)
Mondays Are Murder by Ravena Guron
Expected publication: February 13
Seventeen-year-old Kay left her sleepy hometown after the devastating death of her friend, Ivy. But when her parents go on holiday without her, Kay is forced to come back to stay with her cousin. And her return comes with a bang. Because when Kay arrives, it’s to find an anonymous letter on her bed.
The letter tells her that there will be a thrill on Tuesday, a wreckage on Wednesday, treachery on Thursday, a fire on Friday, sabotage on Saturday, a stabbing on Sunday – and her murder on Monday.
And if Kay can’t figure out who is behind the threats, the worst day of the week is about to get deadly. (Credit: Usbourne Publishing)
The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu
Expected publication: February 25
Seven struggling customers are given the unique opportunity to take home a “blanket cat” . . . but only for three days, the time it’ll take to change their lives.
A peculiar pet shop in Tokyo has been known to offer customers the unique opportunity to take home one of seven special cats, whose “magic” is never promised, but always received. But there are rules: these cats must be returned after three days. They must eat only the food supplied by the owner, and they must travel to their new homes with a distinctive blanket.
In The Blanket Cats, we meet seven customers, each of whom is hoping a temporary feline companion will help them escape a certain reality, including a couple struggling with infertility, a middle-aged woman on the run from the police, and two families in very different circumstances simply seeking joy.
But like all their kind, the “blanket cats” are mysterious creatures with unknowable agendas, who delight in confounding expectations. And perhaps what their hosts are looking for isn’t really what they need. Three days may not be enough to change a life. But it might just change how you see it. (Credit: G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
Expected publication: February 25
When Dr. Nadia Amin, a long-suffering academic, publishes an article on the possibility of rehabilitating ISIS brides, the United Nations comes calling, offering an opportunity to lead a deradicalization program for the ISIS-affiliated women held in Iraqi refugee camps. Looking for a way out of London after a painful, unexpected breakup, Nadia leaps at the chance.In Iraq, Nadia quickly realizes she’s in over her head. Her direct reports are hostile and unenthused about taking orders from an obvious UN novice, and the murmurs of deradicalization being inherently unethical and possibly illegal threaten to end Nadia’s UN career before it even begins.
Frustrated by her situation and the unrelenting heat, Nadia decides to visit the camp with her sullen team, composed of Goody Two-shoes Sherri who never passes up an opportunity to remind Nadia of her objections; and Pierre, a snippy Frenchman who has no qualms about perpetually scrolling through Grindr.
At the camp, after a clumsy introductory session with the ISIS women, Nadia meets Sara, one of the younger refugees, whose accent immediately gives her away as a fellow East Londoner. From their first interaction, Nadia feels inexplicably drawn to the rude girl in the diamanté headscarf. She leaves the camp determined to get Sara home.
But the system Nadia finds herself trapped in is a quagmire of inaction and corruption. One accomplishment barely makes a dent in Nadia’s ultimate goal of freeing Sara . . . and the other women, too, of course. And so, Nadia makes an impossible decision leading to ramifications she could have never imagined. (Credit: Tiny Reparations Books)
Other People’s Houses by Clare Mackintosh
Expected publication: February 27
US Publication Date: September 16
Even on the most desirable street, there’s a dark side . . .
The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular.
Over the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake. There’s no love lost between Ffion and estate agents, but who hated this one enough to want her dead – and why?
As their cases collide, Ffion and Leo discover people will pay a high price to keep their secrets behind closed doors . . .(Credit: Little, Brown Book Group)
The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer
Expected publication: February 27
US Publication Date: April 8
It all begins with an egg . . .
With a hungry child who risks her life for an omelette for tea – and finds a miracle.
With thieves committing crimes against nature on the wild cliffs of Yorkshire.
With a marvel that becomes a mystery . . .
and then a myth.
And 100 years later it begins again. . .
With a strange robbery at a remote Welsh cottage.
With two friends thrust from their gaming chairs into a real-life quest.
And with dangerous men who will stop at nothing to get what they want.
It all begins with an egg.
But where will it end? (Credit: Transworld Publishing)
March Releases
Speak Up, Santiago!: (A Hillside Valley Graphic Novel) by Julio Anta and illustrated by Gabi Mendez
Expected Publication Date: March 4
Santi is excited to spend the summer in Hillside Valley, meeting the local kids, eating his Abuela’s delicious food, exploring! There’s just one problem–Santi doesn’t speak Spanish that well and it feels like everyone he meets in Hillside does. There’s Sol (she’s a soccer player who really loves books), Willie, (the artist), Alejandro (Santi’s unofficial tour guide!), and Nico (Alejandro’s brother and blue belt in karate). In between all of their adventures in Hillside, Santi can’t help but worry about his Spanish-what if he can’t keep up?! Does that mean he’s not Colombian enough? Will Santi find his confidence and his voice? Or will his worries cost him his new friendships…and the chance to play in HIlliside’s summer soccer tournament?! (Credit: Random House Graphic)
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
Expected Publication Date: March 4
They’ve loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They’ve killed each other in every one.
Evelyn can remember all her past lives. She can also remember that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday by Arden, a supernatural being linked to her soul. The problem is that she’s quite fond of the life she’s in now, and her little sister needs her in order to stay alive. If Evelyn wants to save her sister, she’ll have to find the centuries-old devil who hunts her through each life before they find her first, figure out why she’s being hunted and finally break their curse, and try not to fall in love . . . again. (Credit: Wednesday Books)
Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna
Expected Publication Date: March 11
Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen has always felt like she doesn’t fit in. She’s British-Indian in a mostly white town in England, her parents won’t talk about their pasts, and she has ADHD.
Oh, and she talks to books. More importantly, the books talk back.
When her family is attacked by a monster she believed only existed in fairytales, Vanya discovers that her parents have secrets, and that there are a lot more monsters out there. Overnight, she’s whisked off to the enchanted library and school of Auramere, where she joins the ranks of archwitches and archivists.
Life at Auramere is unexpected, exciting and wonderful. But even here, there’s no escaping monsters. The mysterious, powerful Wild Hunt is on the prowl, and Vanya will need all her creativity and courage to unmask its leader and stop them before they destroy the only place she’s ever truly belonged. (Credit: Roaring Brook Press)
Feral Volume 2 by Tony Fleecs and illustrated by Trish Forstner
Expected Publication Date: March 11
The Walking Dead meets The AristoCats in this purrfect series for readers in search of pulse-pounding thrills from the creative team behind the bestselling Stray Dogs!
Lord is missing! Patch is infected! And just when things couldn’t get any worse, Elsie finds herself with a bunch of cats she barely knows, on the run from rabid rats, hidden traps, and whatever terror lurks in the CREEPY OLD SHACK! Don’t miss out on this smash-hit animal horror series from the creators of STRAY DOGS! Collects issues #6-10. (Credit: Image Comics)
White King by Juan Gómez-Jurado
Expected Publication Date: March 11
Antonia Scott has an unusually gifted forensic mind, whose ability to reconstruct crimes and solve baffling murders is legendary. She’s the lynchpin of a top-secret project, Red Queen, created to work across borders and behind the scenes to solve the most devious and dangerous crimes, those that are beyond the skills of the regular police forces.But the Red Queen project is under attack on all fronts. Across Europe, its agents are murdering each other and cases from the past, long believed resolved, are rearing their deadly heads again. At the center of it is the mysterious Mr. White, who has been weaving a web around Antonia for a very long time. He is as smart and capable as her but, unlike her, he’s a psychotic killer who has isolated Antonia Scott. Jon Gutierrez, Antonia’s protector and the only person she trusts, has been kidnapped. Antonia’s husband has been killed and her remaining family is in hiding. With Jon’s life at stake, Mr. White gives her a seemingly innocuous challenge: solve three crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice. The only way to keep Jon alive is to play Mr. White’s game, but can even Antonia win a game when she can only see part of the board? (Credit: Minotaur Books)
- Shadow and Tide by Rachel Greenlaw (Expected Publication Date: March 4)
- The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (Expected Publication Date: March 5)
- A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Browne (Expected Publication Date: March 11)
- How To Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans (Expected Publication Date: March 11)
- The Library Game by Gigi Pandian (Expected Publication Date: March 18)
- Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer (Expected Publication Date: March 18)
- Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna Van Veen (Expected Publication Date: March 25)
- Miss Austen Investigates A Fortune Most Fatal by Jessica Bull (Expected Publication Date: March 25)
- A Greek Tragedy: One Day, a Deadly Shipwreck, and the Human Cost of the Refugee Crisis by Jeanne Carstensen (Expected Publication Date: March 25)
- Infinity’s Secret by Katie Tsang and Kevin Tsang (Expected Publication Date: March 25)
Universality by Natahsa Brown
Expected Publication Date: March 4
UK Publication Date: March 13
Late one night on a Yorkshire farm, in the midst of an illegal rave, a young man is nearly bludgeoned to death with a solid gold bar.
An ambitious young journalist sets out to uncover the truth surrounding the attack, connecting the dots between an amoral banker landlord, an iconoclastic newspaper columnist, and a radical anarchist movement that has taken up residence on the farm. She solves the mystery, but her viral exposé raises more questions than it answers. Through a voyeuristic lens, and with a simmering power, Universality focuses on words: what we say, how we say it, and what we really mean.
A thrilling novel from one of the most acclaimed young novelists working today, Universality is a compelling, unsettling celebration of the spectacular, appalling force of language. It dares you to look away. (Credit: Random House)
Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion by Abiola Bello and illustrated by Emma McCann
Expected Publication Date: March 13
Misha and Ziggy are no ordinary twins. They have a secret that no one else knows: Misha can speak to animals and Ziggy can shapeshift into them!
The siblings couldn’t be happier to be joining their wildlife presenter father on a trip to Ethiopia, and they’re determined to help him bag the best footage of the legendary Black Lion.
When the Black Lion goes missing, Misha and Ziggy are certain their powers can help track it down, but they aren’t the only ones on the hunt for the extraordinary animal. Can the twins help keep the whole jungle safe from harm? (Credit: Simon & Schuster)
The Ten Worst People In New York by Matt Plass
Expected publication date: March 18
The ten worst people in New York are dying, one after the other.
A late-night TV chat show feature, The Ten Worst People in New York, is the talk of the town. When a real estate mogul on the Ten Worst list jumps to his death, it could be a coincidence. But after a corrupt NYC councilor, also on the list, dies suspiciously, recently widowed Special FBI Agent Alex Bedford suspects foul play.
Young British filmmaker Jacob Felle arrives in New York to connect with his estranged sister, Elizabeth, and to reconcile a long-buried family trauma. But Alex and Jacob are on a collision course, and when Jacob becomes a suspect, the two find themselves in a race to unravel the mystery before even more people die. Both Alex and Jacob must confront their worst fears and put their lives on the line as they try to find the answer to two key questions:
Why are the killers targeting the ten worst list? And who will be next to die? (Credit: Crooked Lane Books)
A Wager at Midnight by Vanessa Riley
Expected Publication Date: March 25
Scarlett Wilcox is willing to live out her life as a spinster if it means being able to continue her medical research to help a friend in need. After all, few husbands would tolerate her dressing as a man to attend lectures at the Royal Academy of Science. If the Duke of Torrance finds her such a specimen, she’ll agree to a marriage in name only, much to the dismay of her elder sister, the Viscountess.
When she’s unmasked at a lecture on ophthalmology, Scarlett prepares to be disgraced, but she’s saved by Trinidadian-born physician Stephen Carew who claims her as a cousin. Dedicated to caring for his community, Stephen has no wish to marry a frivolous and privileged lady, no matter how many fall for his disarming accent and seductive charm. But Scarlett proves the opposite of any he’s ever met before. Yet the pressure to marry blinds them both to the chemistry growing between them, pitting their brilliant minds against their reluctant hearts–as the Duke and Viscountess await with bated breath to see who will win . . . A WAGER AT MIDNIGHT. (Credit: Zebra)
Children of Useyi by Moses Ose Utomi
Expected Publication Date: March 25
Eat. Dance. Fight for your life.
The girls in the Mud Fam are used to fighting hard–it’s the only way to win in their elite, all-female sport of Bowing. Thanks to her legendary performance at the last tournament, Dirt has helped their ranks swell with a bevy of new recruits. She has finally achieved her lifelong dream of restoring glory to the Mud Fam, and she’s more than ready to win the upcoming tournament. But everything changes when a man washes up on shore.
There are no adults on the Isle, not since the long-ago days when the gods walked the earth. Yet here is a mysterious man who calls himself Mister Odo and claims to come from the land of the gods. He declares a tournament to find the best Bower. Though wary of the secretive Mister Odo, Dirt is prepared to battle as a proud, fat Bower should–that is, until the competitors are attacked by monsters. The only thing that can save the girls is the gods-given magic that Dirt can channel…and even that might not be enough. (Credit: Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
April Releases
The Pay Back Girls by Alex Travis
Expected Publication Date: April 1
When the HS basketball star is found bloodied and unconscious in the boy’s locker room after the big game, Nate Walker lands in the ICU fighting for his life—and Meghan and Nate’s two ex-girlfriends become the prime suspects.
The three teens have a tense relationship at best—and they each have their own motive for lashing out at Nate. But Meghan, Bria, and Robin are determined to clear their names amid escalating danger and suspicion…even if it means forming an uncomfortable alliance to uncover the truth.
The only problems? Meghan doesn’t remember everything that happened the night of the incident and the more clues they uncover, the more each looks responsible.
Then Nate dies of his injuries. Who is guilty of murder? (Credit: Sourcebooks Fire)
The Big Ask by Simon James Green
Expected Publication Date: April 1
Harvey is popular, cool, plays soccer, and has been in a relationship with his girlfriend Summer for as long as anyone can remember. Alfie is not popular, not cool, has a sick note so he doesn’t have to play any sport, and has been in a relationship with his Xbox since forever. So when Summer dramatically dumps Harvey just a few days before the school prom, no one is expecting Alfie to ask Harvey to be his date. Least of all Alfie. But sometimes amazing things can happen when you take a chance. (Credit: Union Square & Co.)
The Last Guy You Kiss: A Spicy Filipino Wedding Romance by Carla De Guzman
Expected Publication Date: April 1
Some rumors turn out to be true…
Love isn’t easy. Especially when everyone seems to have found it but you. For florist Mara Barretto, her romantic life–or lack thereof–has baffled her close-knit family for years. Now that her baby sister is getting married, however, the pressure to settle down is at an all-time high. Then she meets Jay Montinola, a fellow wedding guest who’s equally single.And rumor has it that every girl who kisses Jay finds The One immediately after.So Mara does what any girl would do: try it for herself.It’s only a kiss–one that will supposedly put an end to her single life and thrust Mara into the arms of Mr. Right, wherever he is. Yet the moment Jay’s lips are on hers, Mara’s plan takes an unexpected turn. Will she finally find the relationship she longs for, or is true love a lot closer than she thinks? (Credit: Afterglow Books by Harlequin)
This Song Is About Us by Sara Barnard
Expected Publication Date: April 3
Told over three summer festivals, this stunning novel from a bestselling author charts the emotional turmoil of young love and early fame.
The Kerbs are a four-piece pop rock band on the verge of breaking big the moment that frontman, Drew, turns 18. But Drew and his long-term girlfriend Ruby have a decision to make: go public right from the start or keep their relationship private, away from the intrusive lens of the tabloids and the scrutiny of the Kerbs’ fanbase. The choice seems easy. Ruby wants her life to remain her own – she’s seen how fame can devour the lives of those who stand in the periphery.
But staying secret comes with a price. As Drew’s star rises and rumours begin to stir, Ruby starts to wonder if love is strong enough to keep them together when Drew’s fame seems destined to drive them apart. (Credit: Walker Books)
Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard
Expected Publication Date: April 10
The night Jack Smyth ran into flames in a desperate attempt to save his wife from their burning home, he was, tragically, too late – but hailed a hero. Until it emerged that Kate was dead long before the fire began.
Suspicion has stalked him ever since. After all, there’s no smoke without fire.
A year on, he’s signed a book deal. He wants to tell his side of the story, to prove his own innocence in print. He just needs someone to help him write it.
Emily has never ghostwritten anything before, but she knows what it’s like to live with a guilty secret. And she’s about to learn that there are some stories that should never be told . . . (Credit: Transworld Publishers)
Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshi
Expected Publication Dates: April 15
When renowned painter Mira Novak arrives at Wadia hospital in Bombay after a miscarriage, she’s expected to make a quick recovery, and Sona is excited to spend time with the worldly woman who shares her half-Indian identity, even if that’s where their similarities end. Sona is enraptured by Mira’s stories of her travels and shocked by accounts of the many lovers she’s left scattered through Europe. Over the course of a week, Mira befriends Sona, seeing in her something bigger than the small life she’s living with her mother. Mira is released from the hospital just in time to attend a lavish engagement party with all of Bombay society and invites Sona along. But the next day, Mira is readmitted to the hospital in worse condition than before, and when she dies under mysterious circumstances, Sona immediately falls under suspicion.
Before leaving the hospital in disgrace, Sona is given a note Mira left for her, along with her four favorite paintings. But how could she have known to leave a note if she didn’t know she was going to die? The note sends Sona on a mission to deliver three of the paintings–the first to Petra, Mira’s childhood friend and first love in Prague; the second to her art dealer Josephine in Paris; the third to her first painting tutor, Paolo, with whom both Mira and her mother had affairs. As Sona uncovers Mira’s history, she learns that the charming facade she’d come to know was only one part of a complicated and sometimes cruel woman. But can she discover what really happened to Mira and exonerate herself?
Along the way, Sona also comes to terms with her own complex history and the English father who deserted her and her mother in India so many years ago. In the end, she’ll discover that we are all made up of pieces, and only by seeing the world do we learn to see ourselves.(Credit: Mira Books)
- Give Up the Night by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast (Expected Publication Date: April 1)
- Swept Away by Beth O’Leary (Expected Publication Date: April 1)
- What Remains of Teague House by Stacy Johns (Expected Publication Date: April 8)
- Fair Play by Louise Hegarty (Expected Publication Date: April 8)
- Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata (Expected Publication Date: April 4)
- The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (Expected Publication Date: April 15)
- The Summer I Ate The Rich by Maika and Maritza Moulite (Expected Publication Date: April 22)
- The Mirror World by Femi Fadugba (Expected Publication Date: April 24)
- The Secret Room by Jane Casey (Expected Publication Date: April 23)
- Gold Coast Dilemma by Nana Malone (Expected Publication Date: April 30)
Matched Up by Jenny Ireland
Expected Publication Date: April 17
When Lexie sees Shane for the first time, she’s blown away. Not only by the way he plays football (although that is great), but by his looks, and how he’s not like the other boys. Best of all, he feels the same way about her. Electricity at first sight.
But there’s a problem.
New in town, Shane has taken the position in Westing FC’s starting 11 that Lexie’s brother, Niall, had set his sights on. Now, they must be each other’s biggest secret. Shane’s family situation is complicated, so there isn’t much space for a girlfriend… or is there?
At first, the sneaking around is exciting: after practice, meeting on the beach, hiding from Niall. But things are about to get complicated… (Credit: Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
Brielle and Bear: Volume 1 by Salomey Doku
Expected Publication Date: April 22
A tale as old as time refreshed for modern readers. This Beauty and the Beast retelling captures the magic and romance of first-year university students Brielle and Bear and the fairytale they are destined to live.
Once upon a time, Brielle met Bear. And then they fell in love.But that’s just the beginning. Fairytales have a way of twisting and swirling before you get to “happily ever after.” And though modern-day Once Upon a Time University first-year, Brielle, is a dreamer, always with her nose in a book, her imagination can’t help but run wild with potential romance.To her, Bear is perfect. . . until Brielle discovers a secret he’s been hiding for a long time that just might shatter their fairytale love. . . . (Credit: Random House Graphic)
Possibility by Sareeta Domingo
Expected Publication Dates: April 24
‘What’s the thing you’d change about your life right now if you could just click your fingers?’ he asked, eyes glinting.
Anika laughed. ‘Wow. Not into small talk, are you?’
When Anika Lapo wakes up in hospital on her thirtieth birthday, it’s not dying she’s afraid of: her real fear is how much of her life she has wasted.
Opening her childhood diary for the first time in thirteen years, Anika writes that tomorrow’s emergency surgery will save her. The next morning, after a successful operation, a hunger for life is sparked in her.
Anika vows not to lose another second. Every night she writes in her diary and, the next day, her words come true. How she’s going to land her dream role as a radio producer, DJ to a crowd instead of her bedroom – and that she’ll finally, blissfully connect with breakfast show host Cam Aseidu, the guy with the sexy smirk and jet-black eyes she’s lusted after from afar…
Anika finally feels like the woman she’s meant to be. But what if she’s trying so hard to be in control that she loses her true self? What if, after everything, she was enough all along?
Emily Knight I am…Power by Abiola Bello
Expected Publication Date: April 28
As the chosen one to battle the powerful Neci, the stake of the warrior world is on Emily’s shoulders but with family betrayals and super powers being stolen, everything is falling apart. Can Emily rise above it all and defeat her toughest opponent? Will she live up to the expectations of being number one? Win or lose – this is the final battle. (Credit: Hashtag Press)
Bibliotherapy in the Bronx by Emely Rumble LCSW
Expected Publication Date: April 29
Bibliotherapy in The Bronx by Emely Rumble, LCSW, is a groundbreaking exploration of the healing power of literature in the lives of marginalized communities. Drawing from her personal and professional experiences, Rumble masterfully intertwines storytelling with therapeutic insights to reveal how reading can be a potent tool for self-discovery, emotional transformation, and social change.
In this transformative work, Rumble offers readers an intimate glimpse into her journey as a psychotherapist in the Bronx, where she has spent over 14 years using books to help clients navigate complex emotions, heal from trauma, and find their voices. Through vivid anecdotes and real-world case studies, she demonstrates how literature can serve as a bridge between personal pain and collective healing.
Rich with practical tips, reflective exercises, and book recommendations, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the power of words to change lives. Whether you’re a therapist, educator, bibliophile, or simply someone seeking deeper understanding and growth, this book offers a compassionate, culturally affirming guide to the transformative potential of storytelling.
Rumble’s work is a testament to the enduring power of books to heal, empower, and liberate. In a time when the world feels increasingly divided, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx reminds us that the stories we tell–and the stories we read–can unite us in our shared humanity. (Credit: Row House Publishing)
Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
Expected Publication Date: April 29
Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.
Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.
Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.
Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target. (Credit: Atria Books)
May Releases
Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner
Expected Publication Date: May 6
In Boston, 1865, Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson, daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice, have accomplished as much as women are allowed in those days. Chafing against those restrictions and inspired by the works of Jane Austen, they start a secret correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother, now in his nineties. He sends them an original letter from his sister and invites them to come visit him in England.
In Philadelphia, Nicholas & Haslett Nelson–bachelor brothers, veterans of the recent Civil War, and rare book dealers–are also in correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, who lures them, too, to England, with the promise of a never-before-seen, rare Austen artifact to be evaluated.
The Stevenson sisters sneak away without a chaperone to sail to England. On their ship are the Nelson brothers, writer Louisa May Alcott, Sara-Beth Gleason–wealthy daughter of a Pennsylvania state senator with her eye on the Nelsons–and, a would-be last-minute chaperone to the Stevenson sisters, Justice Thomas Nash.
It’s a voyage and trip that will dramatically change each of their lives in ways that are unforeseen, with the transformative spirit of the love of literature and that of Jane Austen herself. (Credit: St. Martin’s Press)
Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald
Expected Publication Date: May 6
Seventeen-year-old Billie feels like she is on top of the world. She gets to spend the summer with her best friend, sparks are flying with her crush, and she has received a promotion to ride operator for one of the most buzzworthy new attractions in the theme park she works at. But the first night on the new job takes a dark turn when her creepy coworker mysteriously dies…on her ride, when she isn’t authorized to be running it.
At first, it seems like he died by heart attack, but by the time she returns to the body with help, it looks like a broken neck. Had she just imagined him sitting upright a few minutes ago? It’s as if someone is trying to pin his death on her, and she has one night to figure out who is really responsible before she is blamed.
Billie recruits the help of her friends to sneak around the park after-hours and search for the truth. But as the night stretches on and more people wind up dead, Billie realizes she may not make it out of Murder Land alive. And her friends may know more than they’re letting on. (Credit: Sourcebooks Fire)
Heartbreaker by Anika Hussain
Expected Publication Date: May 8
He broke her best friend’s heart, so now Saachi plans to break his. May the best heartbreaker win . . .
Saachi would do anything for her best friend. So when school bad boy Fahim breaks Mona’s heart, Saachi is hellbent on getting revenge. It’s time to put him in his place once and for all.
And so begins Operation Heartbreaker: Saachi will make Fahim fall in love with her and then pull the plug on him – just like he does to every girl he’s ever dated. Simple.
Except as she spends more time with Fahim, against her better judgement, she finds herself falling for him. Unable to talk to Mona about her mixed emotions, and with the mission veering dangerously off course, Saachi will have to embrace her role as a heartbreaker or potentially end up with her own heart broken . . .
A fiery and fun enemies to lovers romcom, for readers of Jenny Han, Joya Goffney and Adiba Jaigirdar. (Credit: Hot Key Books)
Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan
Expected Publication Date: May 13
Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry’s rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it.
She’s a woman with goals, dreams, ambitions–always striving upward. And in the midst of everything, she’s facing her toughest challenge yet: caring for an aging parent.
Who has time for romance? From her experience, there’s a low ROI on relationships. She hasn’t met the man who can keep up with her anyway. Until…him.
Tech mogul Maverick Bell is a dilemma wrapped in an exquisitely tailored suit and knee-melting charm. From their first charged glance at the summer’s hottest party, Hendrix feels like she’s met her match. Only he can’t be. Mav may be the first to make her feel this seen and desired and appreciated, but he’s the last one she can have. Forbidden fruit is the juiciest, and this man is off limits if she plans to stay the course she’s set for herself.
But when Maverick gives chase–pursuing her, spoiling her, understanding her–is it time to let herself have something more? (Credit: Forever)
The New Age of Sexism by Laura Bates
Expected Publication Date: May 15
Step into a world where…
Little girls dressed up as women dance for an audience of adult men. A pornographic deepfake image or video of you exists on the internet and you just don’t know it yet. Men create ‘perfect’ AI girlfriends who live in their pocket – customised to every last detail, from breast size to eye colour and personality, only lacking the ability to say no.
This isn’t an image of the future. Sex robots, chatbots and the metaverse are here and spreading fast. A new wave of AI-powered technologies, with misogyny baked into their design, is putting women everywhere in danger.
In The New Age of Sexism, Sunday Times bestselling author and campaigner Laura Bates takes the reader deep into the heart of this strange new world. She travels to cyber brothels and visits schools gripped by an epidemic of online sexual abuse, showing how every aspect of our lives – from education to work, sex to entertainment – is being infiltrated by ever-evolving technologies that are changing the way we live and love forever. This rising tide, despite all its potential for good, is a wild west where women’s rights and safety are being sacrificed at the altar of profitability.
Gripping and eye-opening, The New Age of Sexism exposes a phenomenon we can’t afford to ignore any longer. Our future is on the line. We need to act now, before it is too late..(Credit: Simon & Schuster)
- The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex (Expected Publication Date: May 1)
- His Face Is The Sun by Michelle Jabès Corpora (Expected Publication Date: May 6)
- The Night Birds by Christopher Golden (Expected Publication Date: May 6)
- It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara (Expected Publication Date: May 8)
- Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall (Expected Publication Date: May 13)
- The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna (Expected Publication Date: May 13)
- No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding by Catherine Mack (Expected Publication Date: May 13)
- The Illusions by Liz Hyder (Expected Publication Date: May 20)
- We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough (Expected Publication Date: May 20)
- The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson (Expected Publication Date: May 27)
Making a Killing by Cara Hunter
Expected publication date: May 20
When Nick Vincent, producer of true-crime show Infamous, hears about an explosive new angle on a high-profile case–the 2016 murder of an eight-year-old girl in Oxford–he leaps at the chance to send a researcher to verify the claims.
Two months later, a dog walker discovers a woman’s body, bound and buried in a shallow grave in the woods. Forensic evidence links the corpse to the disappearance of that same child.
DCI Adam Fawley, the original investigating officer, is called in to run the enquiry. And he remembers the case well–he arrested the child’s mother for murder. A murder he now knows she didn’t commit.
The investigation raises more questions than answers. What connects the two crimes? Where has the dead girl been all these years? How did she manage to disappear? For Adam Fawley, this is personal…(Credit: William Morrow & Company)
Ripeness by Sarah Moss
Expected Publication Date: May 22
It is the 60s and, just out of school, Edith finds herself travelling to rural Italy. She has been sent by her mother with strict instructions: to see her sister, ballet dancer Lydia, through the final weeks of her pregnancy, help at the birth and then make a phone call which will seal this baby’s fate, and his mother’s.
Decades later, happily divorced and newly energized, Edith is living a life of contentment and comfort in Ireland. When her best friend Maebh receives a call from an American man claiming to be her brother, Maebh must decide if she will meet him, and she asks Edith for help.
Ripeness by Sarah Moss is an extraordinary novel about familial love and the communities we create, about migration and new beginnings, and about what it is to have somewhere to belong.(Credit: Pan Macmillan)
Whispers of Dead Girls by Marlee Bush
Expected Publication Date: May 27
Ren will do anything to save a girl from her sister’s fate. But she may become a monster along the way…
Ren Taylor is back at square one, having accepted a job at her old high school. But while she’d hoped to make peace with the past, now she’s thrust back into it: she’s dogged by the scandal that ruined her childhood and killed her sister Margo, who she can’t help but see everywhere.
Then Ren meets physics teacher Bryson Lewis. He’s handsome and charismatic; all the other teachers and students fall at his feet. But something happened at Bryson’s last school—something that led to the alleged suicide of a young girl.
The past and present blur when Ren notices a student getting close to Bryson – a girl who reminds her of Margo. As Ren digs deeper into Bryson’s past and tries to unravel a present-day mystery, Ren’s own skeletons come to the surface with a secret that she has never shared with anyone. A secret that makes the line between heroes and monsters even blurrier. (Credit: Poisoned Pen Press)
Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria
Expected Publication Date: May 27
No strings
After Ava Rodriguez’s now-ex-husband declares he wants to “follow his dreams”–which no longer include her–she’s left questioning everything she thought she wanted. So when a handsome hotelier flirts with her, Ava vows to stop overthinking and embrace the opportunity for an epic one-night-stand complete with a penthouse suite, rooftop pool, and buckets of champagne.
No feelings
Roman Vasquez’s sole focus is the empire he built from the ground up. He lives and dies by his schedule, but the gorgeous stranger grimacing into her cocktail glass inspires him to change his plans for the evening. At first, it’s easy for Roman to agree to Ava’s rules: no strings, no feelings. But one night isn’t enough, and the more they meet, the more he wants.
No falling in love
Roman is the perfect fling, until Ava sees him at her cousin’s engagement party–as the groom’s best man, no less! Suddenly, maintaining her boundaries becomes a lot more complicated as she tries to hide the truth of their relationship from her family. However, Roman isn’t content being her dirty little secret, and he doesn’t just want more, he wants everything. With her future uncertain and her family pressuring her from all sides, Ava will have to decide if love is worth the risk–again.
This emotional rollercoaster ride of a novel will have you laughing and crying and believing in happily-ever-afters! (Credit: Avon Books)
I Can’t Even Think Straight by Dean Atta
Expected Publication Date: May 29
Big decisions and messy relationships. It’s all part of life for Kai. A must-read queer coming of age story for fans of Sarah Crossan and Sex Education, written in verse by Stonewall-Award-winning, Carnegie-shortlisted author Dean Atta.
Kai is going into a new school year with some big decisions to make: when to come out as gay, what he wants to do in life and who he wants to date. Is it any wonder he can’t think straight?
Best friends Matt and Kai made a promise to each other to stay in the closet. Matt isn’t ready to come out, but Kai wants nothing more than to write his own story. He decides it’s time to break his promise and show his true self to the world.
Now out and proud, Kai starts dating super-hot Obi, but it’s far from smooth sailing. Is love closer to home than Kai realises? (Credit: Hachette Children’s Group)
June Releases
Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue
Expected Publication Date: June 3
Margo is a troubled schoolgirl. After the death of her father, she’s on her way to a new boarding school in a new city.
Moon is a salesman. He makes his living traveling through a series of interconnected worlds on a network of barely used train lines.
They never should have met. But when Margo suddenly appears one day on Moon’s train, their fates become inextricably linked. If Margo wants to survive, she has to pass as a traveling salesman, too–except it’s not that easy.
Move north on the train line and time speeds up, a day passing in mere hours. Move south and time slows down–a day can last several weeks. Slow worlds are the richest ones: you live longer, your youth lasting decades. Fast worlds are sharp, cruel, and don’t have time for pleasantries. Death is frequent. Salesmen die young of skipshock. That is, if they’re not shot down by the Southern Guard first.
As Margo moves between worlds and her attachment to Moon intensifies, she feels her youth start to slip between her fingers. But is Moon everything he seems? Is Margo?
Told through the eyes of both naive Margo and desperate Moon, the unforgettable realm of Skipshock will shake the way you think about love, time, and the fabric of the universe. The first in a planned duology from the best-selling author of the Gifts series, this utterly original epic is a must-read. (Credit: Walker Books US)
Meet Me At the Crossroads by Megan Giddings
Expected Publication Date: June 3
On an ordinary summer morning, the world is changed by the appearance of seven mysterious doors that seemingly lead to another world. People are, of course, mesmerized and intrigued: A new dimension filled with beauty and resources beckons them to step into an adventure. But, perhaps inevitably, people soon learn that what looks like paradise may very well be filled with danger.
Ayanna and Olivia, two Black Midwestern teens—and twin sisters—have different ideas of what may lie in the world beyond. But will their personal bond endure such wanton exploration? And when one of them goes missing, will the other find solace of her own? And will she uncover the circumstances of what truly happened to her once constant companion and best friend? (Credit: Amistad)
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
Expected Publication Date: June 3
Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels, but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his older brother and younger sister in in 1975.
Olivia is on the brink of financial ruin when she’s called back to Ojai to ghostwrite her father’s last book. With no other jobs on the horizon, Olivia accepts, assuming it’s her father’s next horror novel. What she doesn’t know, though, is that she will be forced to reckon with her father and the ghosts that live at the center of her family.
Because after fifty years of silence, Vincent Taylor is finally ready to talk about that night in 1975. (Credit: Sourcebooks Landmark)
A Box Full of Murders by Janice Hallett
Expected Publication Date: June 5
When siblings Ava and Luke discover a mysterious notebook in their dad’s attic they are instantly intrigued. And, as they read through letters, diary entries, newspaper cuttings and notarised secret recordings, they realise that a decades-old, still unsolved, murder case is unfolding right in front of them . . .
Determined to discover what really happened, Ava and Luke turn detective to try and crack the case. But soon they realise that the killer might still be out there – and might be closer than they think…
YOU know the facts. YOU have all the clues. Can YOU solve the mystery before they do? (Credit: Penguin Random House UK)
Run Away With Me by J.L. Simmonds
Expected Publication Date: June 5
Two teenage runaways. One vintage Mustang. A life-changing road trip. So strap in, because this is going to be one hell of a ride.
Jessie ‘Mouse’ Swift needs to get the hell out of Seattle. A few days ago she admitted to wanting her abusive stepfather dead, only to come home and find his murdered body. So when a girl from school offers Jessie a ride in her vintage red Mustang, they embark on an unexpected road trip across America.
Brooke Summer is everything Jessie isn’t: popular, confident, wealthy and heart-stoppingly beautiful, and Jessie has been in love with her from afar for years. But Brooke is hiding her own secrets . . .
With the cops and other sinister figures on their tail, how long can Jessie and Brooke stay on the run before they’re caught? And as their friendship blossoms into something more, can they find a future worth running to together? (Credit: Penguin Random House Children’s UK)
- One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver (Expected Publication Date: June 3)
- The Black Swan Mystery by Tetsuya Ayukawa (Expected Publication Date: June 3)
- Family Force V: Book 1 by Matt Braly and illustrated by Ainsworth Lin (Expected Publication Date: June 10)
- Sister, Butcher, Sister by KD Aldyn (Expected Publication Date: June 10)
- Actually, I’m A Murderer by Terry Deary (Expected Publication Date: June 12)
- The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday by Kelsey B. Toney (Expected Publication Date: June 11)
- The Protest by Rob Rinder (Expected Publication Date: June 19)
- The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine (Expected Publication Date: June 18)
- Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell (Expected Publication Date: June 24)
- A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Expected Publication Date: June 18)
The Second Chance Convenience Store by Ho-Yeon Kim
Expected Publication Date: June 17
Dok-go lives in Seoul Station. He can’t remember his past, and the only thing he knows for certain is that he could really use a drink. When he finds a lost wallet filled with documents, his life is drastically changed.
Mrs. Yeom, a retired history teacher and current owner of her neighborhood’s corner store, is distraught over the loss of her purse, until she receives a mysterious call from the person who found it. To thank this down-on-his-luck stranger, she offers him a free meal from the convenience store. Seeing the joy the food brings him, Mrs. Yeom impulsively invites him to stop by for lunch every day.
In a twist of fate, Dok-go saves the store from a robber—a brave act that propels Mrs. Yeom to offers the bear-like man a job working the night shift, despite the objections of her wary employees. The store’s new employee quickly wins over the quirky denizens of the neighborhood, becoming a welcoming ear and source of advice for his coworkers and neighbors’ problems, and helping his new boss save the store from financial ruin. But just when things are looking up for Dok-go, Mrs. Yeom’s good-for-nothing son, eager to sell the store, hires a detective to dig into the mysterious man’s past and what he seems to be trying so hard to forget. (Credit: Harper Perennial)
I Did Warn Her by Sian Gilbert
Expected Publication Date: June 17
The Ophelia is your typical billionaire yacht: ridiculously luxurious, owned by a ruthless money man, and staffed by a crew whose only job is to indulge the guests’ every wish.
Model-gorgeous Sasha is a last-minute hire for a weeklong Atlantic crossing. She joins fellow stewardesses Jade, Imogen, Euphemia, and Lola. The Ophelia’s stewardesses are almost identical—blonde and model-gorgeous—and all were lured to the Ophelia by high wages and a chance to leave their problems behind when they set sail. But despite its sleek opulence, the Ophelia isn’t as heavenly as it seems. A stewardess on the previous charter died under mysterious circumstances, the guests’ expensive jewelry keeps disappearing, and the crew grows steadily more and more suspicious of one another.
Then the yacht’s owner brings aboard his best friend and two more women, also beautiful. Also hiding something.
When a crew member turns up dead after a night of partying, everyone on the yacht is a suspect. Who is the jewel thief? Who is the murderer? What will happen when the lights go out, and the crew and the guests are finally on equal footing?
Endlessly twisty and delightfully voyeuristic, I Did Warn Her is a whodunnit on the high seas, where the dark secrets of the ultra-wealthy have nowhere to hide. (Credit: William Morrow Paperbacks)
The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood
Expected Publication Date: June 24
Vivienne and Patrick Fisher have done an excellent job raising their three daughters, Alex, Nancy, and Eva. They’re well-adjusted women with impressive careers, caring partners, exciting hobbies, and sweet children. So it’s with great anticipation that three generations of Fishers gather at a beautiful glass house in the English countryside for a weeklong celebration of Vivienne’s seventieth birthday. But when Patrick’s reaction to a freak accident on the first day of the trip inadvertently reveals that he has a favorite daughter, no one is prepared for the shockwaves it sends through the family.
Decades-old unresolved sibling rivalries are suddenly unmasked. And be it newly uncovered smoking habits, ancient crushes, or private doubts about life decisions both big and small, no one’s secrets are safe. Still-tender wounds are reopened amid an audience of friends, husbands, grandchildren, and even coworkers, and as the family’s past is re-written, they find themselves suddenly unmoored.
In a lively, poignant examination of memory, sisterhood, and family ties, Fran Littlewood reminds us just why it is that people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. (Credit: Henry Holt and Co.)
Awakened by Kelechi Okafor
Expected Publication Date: June 26
Set in a near-future where technology is fully integrated in our homes, and a humanoid AI is running for London Mayor, Pels is a journalist desperate to get to the bottom of a spate of disappearances of young Black British people who are then found dead by bodies of water. But her boss is uninterested in her pursuit, instead assigning her to cover the “unreasonable” protests that locals in Benin are staging in opposition to white tourists heading to retreats to partake in their sacred Spirit Vine rituals. He thinks Pels will ‘fit right in’ and can show the benefits of this type of tourism.
While Pels is sceptical, she has been having strange dreams in which she sees what seem like celestial beings, who tell her she has an unfulfilled destiny, and so a part of her is intrigued by the ceremonies… She’d rather be helping a friend whose brother has just gone missing back in London, but decides to take her bosses’ assignment as leverage to then pursue the missing kids investigation.
But when she partakes of the Spirit Vine ceremony in Benin, it unlocks a strange power within her. She learns that this has been her destiny, and that the missing children are part of a large otherworldly conspiracy that only she can stop. As she returns home to a London in turmoil as the cases of missing kids increase, before she can fulfil her destiny and help redirect the dark fate of her world-a fate controlled by people closer to her than she thinks-first she must come to understand and control her newly awakened abilities…(Credit: Orion Publishing Co)
Highlighted Releases Later In the Year
- Roar by Manjeet Mann (Expected Publication Date: July 3)
- Circle of Liars by Kate Francis (Expected Publication Date: July 3)
- The Goldens by Lauren Wilson (Expected Publication Date: July 3)
- A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (Expected Publication Date: July 15)
- Human Rites by Juno Dawson (Expected Publication Date: July 17)
- Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson (Expected Publication Date: July 22)
- Silvercloak by L.K. Steven (Expected Publication Date: July 24)
- Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (Expected Publication Date: July 29)
- Bones at the Crossroads by Ladarrion Williams (Expected Publication Date: July 24)
- Blood Moon by Brittney S. Lewis (Expected Publication Date: August 12)
- Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill (Expected Publication Date: August 19)
- Wish You Were Her by Elle McNicoll (Expected Publication Date: August 26)
- Catch Your Death by Ravena Guron (Expected Publication Date: September 2)
- How To Survive a Horror Sequel by Scarlett Dunmore (Expected Publication Date: September 4)
- Keep Your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy (Expected Publication Date: September 11)
- Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood (Expected Publication Date: September 16)
- House of Splinters by Laura Purcell (Expected Publication Date: October 9)
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