December is Read a New Book Month! From buzzy debuts and charming romances to spine-tingling thrillers and compelling historical fiction, there are plenty of great new options coming out this winter — follow the link to the library catalog or download the O’Neal Library app (for Android and Apple) to dust off your reading habits and delve into something new!
Tell
Me How to Be by Neel Patel
Neel Patel’s spectacular debut novel — which follows a 2018 collection of short stories, If You See Me, Don’t Say Hi — follows an Indian American family and the cost of the secrets they’ve kept from one another. On the first anniversary of her husband’s death, Renu Amin decides to sell the family home, prompting her son, Akash, to return to help pack up the house and say goodbye. But as they work and prepare a puja, they both must confront their regrets and the things that have kept them apart. Release date: December 7
A
History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
Shea Ernshaw’s tension-filled adult debut brims with atmospheric detail. When private investigator Travis Wren is tasked with finding missing Maggie St. James, his search leads him to a remote commune called Pastoral — and ends in his own disappearance. Years later, a longtime resident of Pastoral stumbles upon Travis’s abandoned truck, a discovery that will affect not only him but also his wife and her younger sister. The twists that unfold as the story progresses will keep readers glued to the page. Release date: December 7
Beasts
of a Little Land by Juhea Kim
Fans of sweeping historical fiction will love this debut, which stretches across 50 years during the Korean independence movement. The novel opens with a hunter who saves a young Japanese officer from a tiger, an action that will link their lives together. Later, Jade, who’s been sold by her family to a courtesan school, meets JungHo, an orphan with whom she forges a close bond. A starred review from Kirkus Reviews says, “Gorgeous prose and unforgettable characters combine to make a literary masterpiece.” Release date: December 7
Reckless
Girls by Rachel Hawkins
If you raced through The Wife Upstairs last January, you won’t want to miss Rachel Hawkins’s latest thriller. When two women ask Lux and her boyfriend, Nico, to sail them to a remote South Pacific island, it seems like the opportunity she’s been waiting for to travel the world. But their destination isn’t quite the paradise Lux is expecting. First, there’s another boat already anchored off Meroe Island — and then things start to turn deadly. Release date: January 4
Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho (not yet on order, check back
later!)
Through a series of short stories about two childhood friends — Fiona Lin and Jane Shen — Jean Chen Ho crafts a powerful portrait of friendship, identity, and love. At the end of this winning debut, which is told from alternating perspectives over two decades, Kirkus Reviews says, “Readers will wish for a Fiona or Jane in their own lives.” Release date: January 4
Olga
Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
Xochitl Gonzalez’s highly anticipated novel is already
heading to Hulu. In New York City in 2017, successful wedding planner Olga
and her politician brother, Prieto, are struggling despite their outward
success, and their family’s past continues to affect them both. As they both
face their challenges, Hurricane Maria reaches Puerto Rico, and their mother,
who abandoned them decades ago, returns.
Release date: January 4
No
Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib
Described as Exit West meets An American Marriage, Yara Zgheib’s poignant novel tells the story of Hadi and Sama, a young Syrian couple expecting their first child. When Hadi’s father dies while Sama is five months pregnant, he travels back to Jordan for the funeral. But when Hadi returns home to Boston, the 2017 US travel ban has gone into effect and he’s detained, then deported. The narrative jumps between the past and the present as the couple waits anxiously to be reunited, resulting in what Kirkus Reviews calls “a tense, moving novel about the meaning of home, the risks of exile, the power of nations, and the power of love.” Release date: January 4
The
School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
While having what she calls “one very bad day,” newly divorced Frida Liu leaves her toddler, Harriet, alone for a few hours. When her neighbor reports her, Frida is sentenced to spend a year in a program called the School for Good Mothers. Haunting and thought-provoking, this dystopian debut from Jessamine Chan will stay with you long after the final page. Release date: January 4
The
Maid by Nita Prose
Publishers Weekly predicts that “fans of fresh takes on traditional mysteries will be delighted” by this debut, which is already headed to the big screen. Twenty-five-year-old Molly Gray enjoys her job as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, where she can put her love of cleaning to good use. But her life is turned upside down when she discovers the body of tycoon Charles Black in his suite — and then finds herself being named the prime suspect. Readers will find it easy to root for Molly in this charming cozy mystery. Release date: January 4
Weather
Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Working as a meteorologist at KSEA 6 is a dream come true for Ari Abrams, who loves her job and admires her boss, Torrance Hale. But lately Torrance’s divorce from the station’s news director and their difficult relationship have made things at KSEA 6 feel strained. That’s when, after a holiday party gone wrong, Ari teams up sports reporter Russell Barringer to get their bosses back together. Fans of Set It Up and The Parent Trap will speed through this swoon-worthy romance, which not only has lovable leads in Ari and Russell but also looks at mental health and depression. Release date: January 11
To
Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
The critically acclaimed author of A Little Life returns with another masterful and moving novel that Kirkus Reviews calls “gigantic, strange, exquisite, terrifying, and replete with mystery.” Told through three different storylines — set in 1893, 1993, and 2093 — that are connected by their settings and themes, To Paradise explores humanity, love, and identity. Release date: January 11
The
Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
In The Magnolia Palace, Fiona Davis deftly weaves together two timelines to create a compelling work of historical fiction filled with secrets, scandal, and a missing diamond. In 1919, feeling adrift after the death of her mother, model Lillian Carter takes a job at the Frick mansion. Decades later, in 1966, model Veronica Weber is entangled in a mystery when she stumbles upon messages hidden at the Frick Collection. Release date: January 25
Greenwich
Park by Katherine Faulkner
Once you pick up Greenwich Park, you’ll find it hard to put down this page-turning psychological thriller, which The Other Black Girl author Zakiya Dalila Harris calls “gripping and haunting and gorgeously suspenseful.” When Helen meets Rachel, a single mother-to-be, at her prenatal class, the pair strike up a friendship. But Rachel’s behavior begins to grow stranger and eventually she threatens to reveal a secret that could ruin the lives of Helen and her friends and family. Release date: January 25
Violeta
by Isabel Allende
The latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende tells the powerful tale of Violeta Del Valle, a young woman born in South America in 1920. Now 100, she recounts her life to her grandson, detailing her experiences with events from the Spanish flu to the Great Depression to her fight for women’s rights. As Violeta’s story unfolds, readers are treated to a fascinating look at history. Release date: January 25
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson (not yet on order, check
back later!)
After Eleanor Bennett dies, her two estranged children, Byron and Benny, reunite for her funeral only to discover that Eleanor has left a recorded message for them to listen to. What the recording reveals sends Byron and Benny on a journey of discovery as they learn Eleanor’s secrets and story. Daisy Jones & The Six author Taylor Jenkins Reid says, “At turns delightfully juicy and then stunningly wise, Black Cake is a winner.” Release date: February 1
The
Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
Can’t get enough of the Queen of Crime? This captivating novel dives into Agatha Christie’s 11-day disappearance in December 1926 through the eyes of Nan O’Dea, Archie Christie’s mistress. Filled with flashbacks and compelling characters, the tale that unfolds in The Christie Affair will have you glued to the page. Release date: February 1
Moon
Witch, Spider King by Marlon James
The second book in the Booker Prize–winning author’s Dark Star trilogy hits shelves in February. In Black Leopard, Red Wolf, a National Book Award finalist, Sogolon the Moon Witch appears as an antagonist to Tracker. But in Moon Witch, Spider King, it’s Sogolon’s turn to tell her story, and readers are treated to another side of the narrative. Release date: February 15
The
Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
The author of the New York Times bestseller The Guest List returns with another twist-filled thriller that will keep readers guessing. This locked-room mystery follows Jess, who’s arrived in Paris to stay with her half brother, only to find he’s not at his apartment. As Jess waits and tries to uncover what’s happened to Ben, she begins to meet the building’s other residents — all of whom seem to be keeping secrets. Release date: February 22
Carolina
Built by Kianna Alexander
An inspiring novel about one woman’s courage and determination, Carolina Built tells the true story of real estate magnate Josephine Napoleon Leary. In Edenton, North Carolina, Josephine, who was born into slavery and is now free, fights to build a lasting legacy for herself and her family. But as her business grows, she must also navigate her marriage and motherhood. Release date: February 22
This
Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel
Edgar Award–nominated author Stephanie Wrobel follows her
debut, Darling Rose Gold, with another dark, gripping thriller. It’s been
over six months since Natalie Collins has spoken to her sister, Kit, who’s gone
off to a self-improvement program at Wisewood, a private island off the coast
of Maine where internet and phones are forbidden. But when Natalie gets an
email from Wisewood threatening to reveal a secret that she’s kept from her
sister, Natalie becomes desperate to talk to Kit and sets off to find her. Release
date: February 22
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