Most Anticipated New Book Releases For January 2025
A new year means new reading challenges, bigger TBRs and fantastic releases!
Crazy how we are ringing in a new year already. Feels like 2024 was just starting. Here’s to wishing everyone a wonderful 2025 filled with books, family, books, friends, and yes, more books!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. It was the best having my college freshman home with us. So, our holiday season was full of spending time together and making memories. Nothing fancy, just time…it’s the best gift.
There are some pretty amazing books coming out over the next 12 months, and I’m eager to see what everyone else is looking forward to reading. Here are my top 10 releases for January followed, as always, by my honorable mention list.
Did I miss a book that is on your list? Leave me a comment at the end and let me know what you are looking forward to reading in January!
The Lodge by Kayla Olson (Jan. 7)
There has always been something that I love about ski lodges and resorts. I’ve never actually had the opportunity to go and stay at one, but I love the concept. And, while I love holiday rom-coms, I’m all for a seasonal romance. FROM AMAZON: Alix Morgan just got her big break as the ghostwriter of a memoir by Sebastian Green, a former member of the boy band True North. And when he offers her a penthouse at a luxurious resort in Vermont, she jumps at the chance to work far away from her noisy, cramped apartment. Her career as an entertainment journalist has been building toward this dream job—after all, she used to cover True North and was one of the last people to interview former front man Jett Beckett before he disappeared. As she combs through her client’s voice memos, the specter of the missing lead singer remains, and fans are desperate to know the full story. But Alix also has time for some fun at this glamorous resort, where she begins ski lessons with a handsome instructor named Tyler. As Alix and Tyler fall in love on the slopes, Alix’s work takes a complicated turn—and the mystery of True North’s downfall may be hers to solve.
The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer (Jan. 7)
While I’m not a fan of historical fiction, I tend to do better with alternating time lines. It helps when the premise of the book seems so engaging and tied to magic. Seems like a nice blend of contemporary fantasy, magical realism and a little historical fiction blended into one. FROM AMAZON: 1692. On the outskirts of Salem, a bookstore stands covered in overgrown vines. Inside, a young woman hides a linen-wrapped journal under a loose floorboard and runs away, panicked by the sound of hounds barking in the distance. The bookstore vanishes into thin air... Present day. Stepping inside a pale-pink house on one of the oldest streets in Salem, Dora can't believe she's about to finally meet the mother she thought died tragically when she was just a child. But the excitement is short-lived. Dora's mother has fear in her eyes, and with a trembling voice she whispers: 'my life is in danger, and now so is yours...' Desperate not to lose her mother all over again, Dora digs into her family's mysterious past, and stumbles upon a seemingly impossible secret: the key to their survival is hidden in a bookstore that no one has seen for generations. Losing herself amongst thorny brackens and twisted ferns, Dora eventually finds the path that leads to the bookstore. But someone is watching her. They've been waiting for her. As she pushes open the beautiful blue door hidden amongst the sharp brambles, and stands in front of rows of crumbling leatherbound books with faded pages, she has no idea of the secrets she is about to uncover. Or that her life is in more danger than ever before...
Mystery Royale by Kaitlyn Cavalancia (Jan. 7)
Sometimes a fun, non-fantasy YA book is all I need for a little escape from the world. I just happened to stumble upon this one, and it catch my eye. Now, I’m eager to see what the reception is when released. FROM AMAZON: The only thing sixteen-year-old Mullory Prudence has left of her mom is a warning: "Run if the strange finds you." But mysterious warnings don’t pay the bills or help take care of her sick Gran. And they certainly don’t make her miserable after-school job any more bearable. When unexpected letters start appearing in peculiar places––sealed in bags of dog food and hidden in the refrigerator––Mullory knows she should avoid them to heed her mother’s warning, but her curiosity thinks otherwise. She uncovers an invitation from Stoutmire Estate to compete in a game of Mystery Royale for the chance at a sizable inheritance. Dizzy with the prospect of billions, Mullory enters the game only to unearth the true prize––the illusionary magical properties of Xavier Stoutmire, a recluse without an heir. A recluse who was expected to keep his magic in the family, especially when there isn’t enough for each member. With a prize worth killing for, the game is simple: be the first to solve the mystery––who killed Xavier Stoutmire? One week full of lavish parties dripping with enchantments, in a mansion brimming with clues of the past, and everyone’s a suspect. To win, Mullory will need to untangle a twisted family web and decide who she can trust… Whitaker Stoutmire, the golden boy who’s harboring deadly secrets? Ellison Stoutmire, his closed off twin, who saw something she shouldn’t have? Lyric Stoutmire the youngest sibling, exiled by the family and burning with resentment? Or Mateo Maldonado, the only other outsider whose reserved manner allows him to hide in the shadows... At least at first. But most of all, Mullory must ask herself, why? Why her? A question most strange, indeed.
All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall (Jan. 7)
I love natural disaster movies - haven’t read a lot of natural disaster books, but there are many things I love that are in this book. I love water, I love natural disasters, and I love dystopias. This one seems to have them all. FROM AMAZON: All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections. Racing on the swollen river towards what may be safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they've saved. Inspired by the stories of the curators in Iraq and Leningrad who worked to protect their collections from war, All the Water in the World is both a meditation on what we save from collapse and an adventure story―with danger, storms, and a fight for survival. In the spirit of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Parable of the Sower, this wild journey offers the hope that what matters most – love and work, community and knowledge – will survive.
What Happened to the McCrays by Tracey Lange (Jan. 14)
I really enjoyed her book We are the Brennans. It was such well written, well developed family drama, which I am a big fan of. As a result, I’m looking forward to reading another family based, contemporary fiction. Even more fun is the middle school hockey team! FROM AMAZON: When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, where he doesn’t expect a warm welcome. Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning people who depended on him: his father, his employees, his friends―not to mention Casey, his wife of sixteen years and a beloved teacher in town. He plans to lie low and help his dad recuperate until he can leave again, especially after Casey makes it clear she wants him gone. The longer he’s home, the more Kyle understands the impact his departure has had on the people he left behind. When he’s presented with an opportunity for redemption as the coach of the floundering middle school hockey team, he begins to find compassion in unexpected places. Kyle even considers staying in Potsdam, but that’s only possible if he and Casey can come to some kind of peace with each other. Full of love and hope, What Happened to the McCrays? takes an intimate look at both sides of a failed marriage and two people who must finally confront the awful pain of their past or risk being consumed by it.
Lightfall by Ed Cocker (Jan. 14)
Magic and werewolves and vampires? Yes, please. This is the first book in a new fantasy series, and it looks great! FROM AMAZON: For centuries, vampires freely roamed the land until the Grays came out of nowhere, wiping out half the population in a night. The survivors fled to the last vampire city of First Light, where the rules are simple. If you’re poor, you drink weak blood. If you’re nobility, you get the good stuff. And you can never, ever leave. Palace maid Sam has had enough of these rules, and she’s definitely had enough of cleaning the bedpans of the lords who enforce them. When the son of the city’s ruler is murdered and she finds the only clue to his death, she seizes the chance to blackmail her way into a better class and better blood. She falls in with the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who rein in the worst of the Lords. Soon she’s in league with a sorcerer whose deductive skills make up for his lack of magic, a deadly werewolf assassin and a countess who knows a city’s worth of secrets. There’s just one problem. What began as a murder investigation has uncovered a vast conspiracy by the ruling elite, and now Sam must find the truth before she becomes another victim. If she can avoid getting murdered, she might just live forever.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (Jan. 21)
This is one of my most anticipated books of the entire year. Book #3 in the Fourth Wing series, and it’s going to be a turning point for me. I absolutely loved Fourth Wing couldn’t get enough of the world, the dragons, the drama, but Iron Flame was not quite what I hoped it would be. Violet irritated me and the ending was horrible. I am still going to be getting this on on release day and devouring it immediately. My hope is that I am left feeling how I did at the end of book #1. FROM AMAZON: After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust. Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves―her dragons, her family, her home, and him. Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find―the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.
My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher (Jan. 21)
The title pulled my in and the description sold me. This looks great on many different levels! I am always on the lookout for laugh-out-loud books that have great characters and a well developed plot…so, fingers crossed. FROM AMAZON: Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, just wants to make music. Jazz, specifically. Unfortunately, he’s a demon. And he’s supposed to be evil. Clearly, for Ash, a career as a musician isn’t exactly an option. Plus, he’s cursed. Sick of playing by the rules, Ash and his three brothers escape Hell in search of freedom on Earth. But it’s harder than they thought to keep their enemies off their tail . . . The four rogues quickly become the Underworld’s Most Wanted, and if they’re caught, the consequences will be dire. Yet everything changes for Ash when he meets a beautiful violinist who can see through his curse. It must be too good to be true, but, no matter the risk, he has to have her. Evangeline Gregory is just your average human. She works at a jazz bar, plays gigs on weekends . . . and, apparently, hallucinates demons. At least that’s what Eva tells herself when, moments after she meets the man of her dreams, she sees him shift into a 7-foot-tall monster. Not believing her own eyes, Eva decides to investigate and soon finds herself caught in the middle of a supernatural clusterf**k of epic proportions. But Ash isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and the search for answers reveals a shocking truth that will change the course of her life forever. Or maybe just doom it. Eva and Ash will learn the path to love can be complete Hell.
The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang (Jan. 21)
I want a magical cat. That’s really all I have to say about this one. I do get Midnight Library vibes with this one; I just hope it’s better. FROM AMAZON: If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose? On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you'll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market—where you can choose to completely change your life. No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself. There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like. The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever. And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them…
Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson (Jan. 28)
This is basically my token thriller pick for the month. I’m not a huge thriller reader, but I’m always on the lookout for ones that might make me a bigger fan. There is definite potential with this one. FROM AMAZON: She gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she's hiding a terrible secret. It's time for the truth to come out... Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. She can't guarantee the police won't come after her "guests," but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame―a potent combination that's proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind. But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother's murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother's murderer is dead. Poe killed him.
It’s been a while since I have felt this great about the full list and wish I included more than just 10 titles. That’s why my honorable mention list is so long. Here are several more books to look out for this month.
For One Night Only by Jessica James (Jan. 7)
Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (Jan. 7)
The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight (Jan. 7)
Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura (Jan. 7)
Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan (Jan. 7)
After Life by Gayle Forman (Jan. 7)
Death of an Author by Nnedi Okorafar (Jan. 14)
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao (Jan. 14)
The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill (Jan. 14)
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix (Jan. 14)
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Fenney (Jan. 14)
Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis (Jan. 21)
Blob by Maggie Su (Jan. 28)
We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin (Jan. 28)
Order of Swans by Jude Deveraux (Jan. 28)
The Night is Defying by Chloe Penaranda (Jan. 28)
Looks like the year is going to be off to an amazing start! Can’t wait to add more books to my TBR than I actually have time to read.
Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful and happy new year!
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