There Are Some Incredible Books Being Released In December That Will Take Your Mind Off Everything — Here They Are

    This month may be on the shorter side for new releases, but they are all absolutely worth checking out!

    historical fiction

    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 whom 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 with a cocoa estate in Ecuador. Happy to start a new life following World War I, 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, long-lost 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

    romance

    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 happily-ever-after 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, where she discovers that her dad, Dr. Kostas, has planned to retrace Odysseus’s 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

    sci fi fantansy

    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 that 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 who 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 — his and Djibrel's lives will collide further. Witty, scathing, and wholly unique, this is a book you won't soon forget. —Kirby Beaton

    young adult

    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 during one summer. In Here’s to Us, readers are reunited with everything they love about Ben and Arthur, except 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 life. This sequel has perfect banter, will-they-or-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 Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

    Being in the public eye is challenge enough. But 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 17 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, whose 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 whom they can trust and whom 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