Our annual hiatus is around the corner, so we are posting the December new releases early for you all! (Plus one November release we missed.) We hope you get a chance to check out these books when they come out next month:
November 18
Wheel of Wrath (The Fifth Realm #2) by A.A. Vora
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books
Mayana is burning. Following the rupture of the barrier protecting the peaceful upper realm, soldiers from the lower realm of Malin invade and wage war on the Mayani kingdoms. Born into scarcity, the soldiers crave the lives of abundance they’ve been deprived of since birth. Meanwhile, the authorities of the upper realms race to fend off their attacks—and the key to their success may rest in gaining control of the planetary beasts who created the realms.
They attempt to recruit the Mayani princess and nature enthusiast Himalia to bond with a beast, a dangerous task that would earn her control of its powers. Himalia, who prefers the company of animals and books to humans, is unsettled by the idea of using another living being this way. After a life of disappointing her father, she should jump at the chance to bring honor to her family. But Himalia would rather be left in peace to continue her research, as she verges on a discovery that could change the tide of the war.
As Himalia edges closer to her discovery, the former members of the Balancers, a disbanded rebel group bringing aid to the unfortunate, choose their sides in the conflict. A grief-stricken Aina seeks revenge against the leader of the Malini army, who killed her mother. A conflicted Aranel sides with the lowers, intent on fighting for equality even if it means going against his homeland. And Meizan, now returned to his Malini clan, navigates internal politics as he tries to keep his clansmen out of harm’s way. When the three teens cross paths, as the attack on Mayana reaches a boiling point, they must reckon with their old, fractured friendships and their new reality as enemies at war.
December 1
The Full Picture by Jessica Carmichael
Hibiscus Press
Reuniting with her family and partying in Accra until sunrise? Part of the plan. Catching feelings for two very different boys? Definitely not!
When first-year university student Robyn Carter travels to Ghana for winter break, it’s the first time she’s been back since her mother’s passing ten years prior. Not only is the trip the perfect escape from her father’s academic expectations, but it’s also an opportunity to finally learn more about her mother-the one subject he refuses to discuss.
The last person Robyn expects to meet is Osei Mensah, her grandmother’s beloved neighbour and a budding photographer. The young creative is a big dreamer who wears his heart on his sleeve and is everything pragmatic Robyn shouldn’t want.
Especially not when Osei’s childhood friend, Kelvin Williams, is a charming pre-med student also visiting from her hometown-her exact type on paper.
As Robyn uncovers the truth about her late mother’s past, logic and emotion begin to clash and she can’t help but wonder if following her heart instead of her father’s carefully laid-out plan, might be a shot worth taking after all.
Perfect for fans of Bolu Babalola and Jenny Han, this heartfelt debut is a modern coming-of-age story about restoring family, taking risks, and living life on your own terms.
December 2
There’s Always Next Year by Leah Johnson, George M. Johnson
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Andy was supposed to shed her too-serious student journalist persona and reinvent herself on New Year’s Eve. Instead, she puked on her crush, dropped her phone in a fish tank, and managed to get her car stolen. Now, she only has the first day of the year to stop the gentrification that’s threatening her family’s business, right her wrongs from the night before, and figure out why she feels so drawn to the electric new-girl-next-door. How can Andy find her voice when everything’s being turned upside down?
Dominique is an influencer on the verge of securing a major brand deal that will ensure his future and family legacy. But when he runs into his former best friend, unresolved feelings emerge — and in a small town, there’s nowhere to hide. Not from his cousin, Andy, who has always seen him for his true self, not from his busybody manager, Kim, whose favorite color is money green, and certainly not from himself. When all the world’s a stage, can Dominique rise to superstardom without leaving behind the ones he loves?
There’s Always Next Year is a dual POV, double love story about what it means to nearly blow your life up, and race to put it back together before your time runs out. And if Andy and Dominique fail? Well, there’s always next year.
The Last Vampire by Romina Garber
Wednesday Books
Pride & Prejudice meets Crave when Austen-loving Lorena Navarro attends a new boarding school expecting to find her own Mr. Darcy, but accidentally awakens the world’s last vampire instead!
Pride comes before the fall.
When a boarding school opens in a once-condemned Victorian manor buried in the woods of New Hampshire, Austen-loving Lorena Navarro enrolls in hopes of finding her own Mr. Darcy. Instead, she stumbles across a coffin and accidentally awakens the world’s last vampire.
After hibernating for nearly three centuries, William Pride is desperate to find his family—and clueless about the modern world. Relying on Lorena for more than just blood, he enrolls at the school to catch up on all he’s missed.
Soon, William uncovers a chilling truth: He is the last hope for his kind’s return to power. Torn between protecting the humans around him and fulfilling his fate, William must make a choice that could change everything. Will he sacrifice his species for love . . . or will he embrace his dark destiny at last?
December 9
Twin Tides by Hien Nguyen
Delacorte
Heiress and influencer Caliste Ha lives a glamorous life in an LA high rise, her perfectly curated social media feed hiding the cracks in her family. Across the country, Aria Nguyen is barely surviving as a freshman and academic scammer at Georgetown University. They have never met.
That changes with one unexpected and grim phone call. Their long-missing mother has been found dead in Les Eaux, Minnesota. Upon arrival in the sleepy town, Caliste and Aria discover another shocker—they are identical twins.
Ready to unearth the secrets that led to their mother’s death and their separation, they start looking for answers. But a vengeful ghost is haunting the waters, and an unknown enemy is watching their every move.
Can Aria and Caliste unravel all the sinister mysteries of Les Eaux, or will the town’s deadly secrets ultimately drag them under?