There Are Some Incredible Books Releasing In December That Will Take Your Mind Off Everything, Here They Are
Beasts of a Little Land
by Juhea Kim
Set against the Korean independence movement in 1917, a local hunter on the brink of starvation saves a young Japanese officer from a tiger attack. This moment cements their intertwined fates that will span a half-century. Meanwhile, a family sells their young daughter, Jade, to Miss Silver’s courtesan school. There, she befriends an orphan boy named JungHo, and, as they come of age, JungHo is swept up in the independence revolution, while Jade becomes a performer with a new suitor of noble birth. In a world where the lines between enemies, lovers, saviors, and beasts are blurred, this vivid cast of characters will have to decide who they're willing to risk it all for. —Kirby Beaton
The Spanish Daughter
by Lorena Hughes
Puri has always known that she inherited her love of chocolate from her father, but it isn't until his passing that she learns he also gifted her a cocoa estate in Ecuador. Happy to start a new life following WWI, she and her husband Cristóbal head across the Atlantic to claim her inheritance...but it soon becomes clear that someone isn't happy about Puri's newfound livelihood. Aboard the ship, a murderer-for-hire accidentally kills Cristóbal instead of Puri, forcing her to don her husband's clothes and identity. As a man, she is able to live more freely in Ecuador while she searches for clues as to who is out to kill her, but family secrets, longlost siblings, and a new romance threaten her plans. This historical fiction is as rich as dark chocolate, featuring intrigue, romance, and a plethora of historical nods that will delight any history buff. —Kirby Beaton
Amor Actually: A Holiday Romance Anthology
by Adriana Herrera, Alexis Daria, Diana Muñoz Stewart, Mia Sosa, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol, and Zoey Castile
In this festive holiday romance anthology, seven acclaimed and bestselling Latina authors pen HEA romances based on the iconic yet highly polarizing Love, Actually movie. Find everything you love about romance in this collection, from second chances and big leaps to missed connections and reconnections. Each story is certain to leave you with a smile on your face. —Farrah Penn
The Love Con
by Seressia Glass
Anime and gaming lover Kenya Davenport dreams of turning her beloved cosplay hobby into a career. When she joins Cosplay or No Way, a reality competition show, she thinks she’s finally on the way to her big break…until the judges announce the final round will be to cosplay iconic couples. The problem: Kenya is as single as they come. Luckily for her, her best friend, Cameron Lassiter, agrees to play her fake boyfriend. As the two pretend to be an iconic couple in love, cosplay turns into reality and Kenya realizes she has more than just friendship feelings for Cameron. But, can they make something between them work, or will she lose the best friend she’s ever had? —Shyla Watson
An Accidental Odyssey
by kc dyer
Gianna Kostas may have lost her job, but she’s about to marry one of New York’s most eligible bachelors. That is, until she gets a call during wedding cake tasting about her ailing, estranged father. The news sends her halfway around the world to Athens, Greece where she discovers her dad, Dr. Kostas, has planned to retrace Odysseyus’ famous voyage. Clearly in no condition to tackle such a trip alone, Gianna tags along…much to the frustration of her fiancé. On her journey across the Mediterranean, Gianna eats incredible food, meets handsome surfers, uncovers family secrets, and reconnects with her father…but also herself. —Shyla Watson
Cyber Mage
by Saad Z. Hossain
A tantalizing blend of science fiction and fantasy, this novel takes place in 2089 Bangladesh, where nanotech has become so commonplace, some people have been conditioned to survive without food, water, or even basic organs. Mercenary Djibrel wanders the overpopulated city of Dhaka, on the lookout for any sign of the Djinn, a race of genies that appear to have disappeared over the years — or merged with humans to blend in. But someone is tracking Djibrel's movements: the infamous Cyber Mage...AKA a snarky teenager named Murzak. When Murzak discovers a new type of AI on the black market — one with magical undertones — he and Djibrel's lives will collide further. Witty, scathing, and wholly unique, this is a book you won't forget soon. —Kirby Beaton
Here's to Us
by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Here’s To Us by the prolific writing duo is the sequel to What If It’s Us, a story of two gay teen boys who meet in New York City and discover that they might be falling for each other over the course of a summer. In Here’s To Us, readers are reunited with everything they love about Ben and Arthur, except for the fact that they are no longer together. Ben isn’t exclusive with Mario, but he’s interested in seeing what their future holds. Arthur is exclusive with a sweet and gentle soul named Mikey, but he finds himself in New York for another summer after accepting his dream internship on Broadway. And because it’s Ben and Arthur, the big city has a way of bringing them back into each other’s lives. This sequel has perfect banter, will-they-won’t-they tension, and more page time with our beloved characters. As for a happily ever after? You’re going to have to read for yourself to find out. —Farrah Penn
If This Gets Out
by Cale Dietrich and Sophie Gonzales
Being in the public eye is challenge enough. Being in the public eye when you're two members of one of the world's biggest boy bands and all the pressure is getting to you so deeply that you spend your time bonding and ultimately falling in love even while you're obligated to remain in the closet? Yeah, that's a Lot, and it's exactly what's tearing at Zach and Ruben as they have to decide which to hold on to tighter: the lives of fame they've built together, or the relationship that could bring it crashing down? —Dahlia Adler
The Coldest Touch
by Isabel Sterling
Fresh on the heels of giving us Sapphic witches, Sterling is back with Sapphic vampires, most notably Claire, who was turned at seventeen almost a century ago and has been seeking revenge for it every day since. The best way to get it? Endear herself to the overlords by training Elise, a teen girl who has yet to understand that she's the new Death Oracle. (Or that she's bisexual, but don't worry, she'll get there.) Elise, who's life has been absolutely destroyed by both the death of her brother and her newfound ability to see how people will die upon skin contact, is open to anything that'll help her harness her power, especially if it means better death outcomes for her loved ones. But when demons from the past collide with secrets in the present, it'll throw into question both who they can trust and who they can love. —Dahlia Adler
The Upper World
by Femi Fadugba
Daniel Kaluuya is set to produce and star in an adaptation of this one for Netflix, so our excitement is through the roof for this outstanding debut. When an accident knocks Esso into a world where he can see glimpses of the past and the future, he sees a vision of a bullet fired in an alleyway with disastrous consequences. Fifteen years later, Rhia is a football prodigy, being pulled into a mystery by her new physics tutor...Dr. Esso. —Rachel Strolle
