Happy Tuesday!
It’s a beefy week, full of new releases! January is honestly looking pretty stacked. Do your own TBR piles look the same?
Let us know what is on your TBR pile this week. What are you buying? What are you borrowing?
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Accidentally Amy
Author: Lynn Painter
Released: January 14, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceA stolen latte results in a meet-cute for the ages in this brand-new edition, with bonus content, of New York Times bestselling author Lynn Painter’s rom-com Accidentally Amy.
Isabella Shay is usually a very honest person. But when she’s running late for her first day at her dream job and the barista yells for “Amy” three times with no answer, she does the unthinkable.
Izzy takes that PSL.
It’s the exact drink she ordered and paid for, only way further ahead in the queue—and she’ll take whatever bad karma is coming for her; she’s desperate and very late. But when she turns around and runs directly into the most attractive man she’s ever seen, spilling the drink all over his made-for-GQ shirt and tie, she ends up having the ultimate meet-cute. Karma who? Sparks fly and things feel beyond promising, until he says to “See you tomorrow, Amy.”
Izzy reasons she can just straighten things out the next day, no biggie. Only when she gets to her new office and meets the VP of her department, it is none other than Blake Phillips—the hottie from Starbucks. And the man might’ve been charming to “Amy,” but he is an arrogant grump to Izzy, an arrogant grump who does not find her explanation funny at all. But day by day, an attraction simmers between them and they’ll have to find a way to work together without ripping each other’s heads—or clothes—off.
Dahlia: Unabashed Lynn Painter fangirl, especially since falling deeply in love with The Love Wager, which is one of my all-time fave rom-coms.
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Babylonia
Author: Costanza Casati
Released: January 14, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Historical: European, Literary FictionFrom the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, as Casati reimagines the rise to power of the Assyrian empire’s only female ruler, Semiramis.
When kings fall, queens rise.
Nothing about Semiramis’s upbringing could have foretold her legacy or the power she would come to wield. A female ruler, once an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire – certainly no one in Ancient Assyria would bend to her command willingly. Semiramis was a woman who knew if she wanted power, she would have to claim it.
There are whispers of her fame in Mesopotamian myth- Semiramis was a queen, an ambitious warrior, a commander whose reputation reaches the majestic proportions of Alexander the Great. Historical record, on the other hand, falls eerily quiet.
In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her. The world Casati expertly builds is rich with dazzling detail and will transport her readers to the heat of the Assyrian Empire and a world long gone.
Elyse: This is already getting some incredible reviews, and I love a good villainess for a heroine.
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The Favorites
Author: Layne Fargo
Released: January 14, 2025 by Random House
Genre: Literary FictionTo the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.
An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating about a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice
She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.
As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.
Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win.
A second chance ice skating romance sounds wonderful. However, I’ve heard mixed comments about whether this is truly a romance and it lands more toward dishy fiction where most of the characters are all scheming for something. I’ve also heard it’s wonderful on audio.
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Flirting with Disaster
Author: Naina Kumar
Released: January 14, 2025 by Dell
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceShe needs a divorce from her husband—but a hurricane threatens to dredge up their stormy, passionate past in this sizzling reimagining of Sweet Home Alabama from the bestselling author of Say You’ll Be Mine.
It’s been years since Meena has seen her husband, Nikhil . . . years since they first laid eyes on each other back home in Texas, years since they eloped in Las Vegas and she felt true happiness. A high-powered lawyer on Capitol Hill, ready to move on (or at least, she thinks so) with another successful lawyer, Shake, Meena has returned home. This time, finally, to obtain a divorce.
But there’s one thing Meena couldn’t have accounted for: a hurricane forming in the Gulf, veering right toward them, giving them no choice but to hunker down in the home they had built together. Suddenly, she finds herself trapped amid gale-force winds and pelting rain with the man she once loved.
As they spend more time together, Meena begins to remember everything that drew her to Nikhil: His small-town charm, his thoughtful nature. . . his absurdly good looks. But things make sense with Shake. He’s steady and ambitious and wants exactly what she wants. She’ll stick to her plan, come hell or high water. But will her windswept heart make the right choice, when the storm settles and the eye passes over?
With sharp observations about second chances at love, ambition and Indian American identity, and with characters who share an undeniable chemistry, Flirting with Disaster is a modern romance with the sensibility of a classic.
Shana: Kumar’s first book was one of my favorites of 2024. This is a must-read for me.
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Hammajang Luck
Author: Makana Yamamoto
Released: January 14, 2025 by Harper Voyager
Genre: LGBTQIA, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction/FantasyHAMMAJANG | adjective. Definition: In a disorderly or chaotic state; messed up. Chiefly in predicative use, esp. in all hammajang. Etymology: A borrowing from Hawaiian Pidgin. Source: Oxford English Dictionary.
Edie is done with crime. Eight years behind bars changes a person – costs them too much time with too many of the people who need them most.
And it’s all Angel’s fault. She sold Edie out in what should have been the greatest moment of their lives. Instead, Edie was shipped off to the icy prison planet spinning far below the soaring skybridges and neon catacombs of Kepler space station – of home – to spend the best part of a decade alone.
But then a chance for early parole appears out of nowhere and Edie steps into the pallid sunlight to find none other than Angel waiting – and she has an offer.
One last job. One last deal. One last target. The trillionaire tech god they failed to bring down last time. There’s just one thing Edie needs to do – trust Angel again – which also happens to be the last thing Edie wants to do. What could possibly go all hammajang about this plan?
Ocean’s 8 meets Blade Runner in this trail-blazing debut science fiction novel and swashbuckling love letter to Hawai’i about being forced to find a new home and striving to build a better one – unmissable for fans of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.
Amanda: I’ve seen this described as a romantic, sci-fi Oceans 8! I also prefer the UK cover even if it looks a little too Star Wars-y. Nothing against Star Wars, but I wonder if it was a copyright issue.
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Heavenly Bodies
Author: Imani Erriu
Released: January 14, 2025 by Random House Canada
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Heavenly Bodies #1mythology and shadow magic with a tantalizing enemies-to-lovers romance that will rewrite the stars.
“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”
In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.
So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.
And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.
Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.
And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist…
Elyse: I’ve been seeing this all over social media, so I’m curious as to whether or not I’ll like it or if it’s just hype.
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Murder in the Dressing Room
Author: Holly Stars
Released: January 14, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: LGBTQIA, Mystery/Thriller
Series: Misty Divine #1A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag’s not just dramatic, it’s deadly.
By day, Joe is a hotel accountant, invisibly sitting behind their desk and playing by the rules. By night, donned in sequins, they take to the stage as Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene.
But when Misty’s drag mother, Lady Lady, is found dead in her dressing room beside a poisoned box of chocolates, Misty and her fellow performers become the prime suspects.
Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won’t rest until she finds out who it is.
Sarah: A drag queen mystery set behind the scenes at a show, and I am SO excited about this one.
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Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Author: Chloe Liese
Released: January 14, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: The Wilmot Sisters #3Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she’s presented with the chance to revisit romance—purely for practice—with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.
Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn’t on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is. Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.
Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they’re the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.
The next in Liese’s series of Shakespeare retellings!
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The Queen’s Spade
Author: Sarah Raughley
Released: January 14, 2025 by HarperCollins
Genre: Historical: European, Mystery/Thriller, Young AdultIn this riveting historical thriller that’s loosely inspired by true life events, The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.
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 that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.
Loosely 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.
Shana: I’ve seen a lot of people talking about this book, and I’m excited to read it.
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Unromance
Author: Erin Connor
Released: January 14, 2025 by Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceA recently dumped TV heartthrob enlists a jaded romance novelist to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet again . . .
Sawyer Greene knows romance. She’s a bestselling author of the genre—or she was, until her ex left her with nothing but writer’s block and a broken heart. But when she gets stuck in the elevator with a handsome stranger, she sees their meet cute for what it is: just a one-night stand. It might have worked, too, if they could stop running into each other.
Actor Mason West sees Sawyer’s reappearance in his life as a sign. Obviously, they’re meant to cure each other. Him of the hopeless romanticism that only ends in heartbreak—and tabloid trainwrecks—and Sawyer of her writer’s block. Their agreement is simple: 1. No (more) sex, and 2. No matter how swoony the circumstances, absolutely no falling in love.
It’s a foolproof plan–until Sawyer and Mason find that, once set in motion, some plots can’t be stopped—and that they might be hurtling towards a happy ending…
Dahlia: I’m a huge sucker for terrible plans obviously destined to blow up in the characters faces, and this premise involving a romance author is such a fun take on it.
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Water Moon
Author: Samantha Sotto Yambao
Released: January 14, 2025 by Del Rey
Genre: Literary Fiction, Science Fiction/FantasyA woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical journey when a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, in this dreamlike and enchanting fantasy novel.
On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.
Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.
Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.
But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.
Elyse: This fantasy looks cozy and magical and perfect for a dark winter night.
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Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Author: Grady Hendrix
Released: January 14, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction/FantasyThere’s power in a book…
They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.
Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who knows she’s going to go home and marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.
Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid…and it’s usually paid in blood.
Amanda: Hendrix’s plots always make me perk up.
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Also out today is Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. It’s about a writing professor who loses her job but then writes a best-selling sci-fi book. So there’s a book within the book, but it’s also about how the writer deals with everything. Okorafor’s Africanfuturism is compelling, so it’s on my TBR.
Two books on the tbr this week (assuming Kati Wilde’s book is released this week, finger crossed):
Serena Bell’s SOME LIKE IT HOTT (January 14), the next book in her Hott Springs Eternal series about a family (last name Hott) running a destination spa. I’ll let the search-engine optimization subtitle of the book describe its contents: “A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, fish-out-of-water, billionaire, opposites attract, workplace relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.” Given Bell’s track record of excellent writing with plenty of heat & heart, I expect SOME LIKE IT HOTT to be more individualized than the marketing blurb would indicate.
Kati Wilde’s ONLY ONE BED is currently showing a publication date of January 15. This is an antagonists-to-lovers/snowbound in a cabin/only one bed story…and I am so here for it.
Usually I would be wondering once again how anyone reads Wuthering Heights and finds a romance, but I’m too busy being baffled by Twelfth Night without cross dressing.
Between my idiotic curiosity about terrible seeming ideas, and irrepressible hope for the premises that sound legitimately appealing, pretty much all of these are going on my library list.
My TBR momentarily sighed in relief, as I have zero books on my new release list this month. It is now quietly weeping. Thanks.
A SIMPLE MISTAKE by Alice Winters appeared in my kindle recommendations. It’s an m/m suspense – main characters are homicide detectives and the description says they’ll be up against a serial killer. I haven’t read anything by this author but it appears in the kindle store as #1 Bestseller in LGBTQ+ Mystery even though it’s published today and there are no reviews. I have no idea how Amazon comes up with their rankings but it’s included in KU so I’ll give it a shot.
@JTAlexis – I’d guess they’re counting purchases/preorders rather than ratings. I’ve not had much luck with Alice Winters because the humor always seems to devolve into slapstick. Willing to try again if this one gets a good report.
Ditto @DiscoDollyDeb’s list–thrilled to have Serena Bell’s SOME LIKE IT HOTT land on my ereader today, and cannot wait for Kati Wilde’s ONLY ONE BED!
I like Chloe Liese just fine, but I join everyone in being confused about there being no crossdressing (or even twins?!) in the Twelfth Night take-off.
@Lisa F: Thirding? Fourthing? the sentiment about the lack of obvious Twelfth Night connection.
Me too… I love Twelfth Night, but no twins, no cross-dressing? Nope.