January 6 Book Releases

January 6 New Book Releases: The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave, The Storm by Rachel Hawkins, The Swan's Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
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Travis Williamson

Editor in chief

Published

January 1, 2026

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Goblin earns from qualifying purchases.

Here we go with January 6, 2025 Book Releases. Hope everyone had a great New Year. Ours was awesome, and we have some big plans to make the site bigger and better with more new books, more reviews, and a few exciting surprises along the way.

You can also dive into The Ultimate Fantasy and Romance Book Tier List: Bookish Goblin 2025 Wrapped, and We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark with a summary, review, and ending explained.

The First Time I Saw Him cover

The First Time I Saw Him

Author Laura Dave
Genres Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Adult Fiction, Audiobook
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Laura Dave continues Hannah Hall’s pulse-pounding journey in the riveting and deeply moving sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling blockbuster and Apple TV+ show, The Last Thing He Told Me.

Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they’ve forged a relationship with Bailey’s grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them.

But when Owen shows up at Hannah’s new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.

Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety—and finds there just might be a way back to Owen and their long-awaited second chance.

A gripping, rich, and deeply moving novel about the power of forgiveness, The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where the epilogue for the “genuinely moving” (The New York Times) The Last Thing He Told Me left off, giving listeners the eagerly awaited and absolutely exhilarating sequel to Dave’s global blockbuster.
The Storm cover

The Storm

Author Rachel Hawkins
Genres Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult
Publication Date January 06, 2026
St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.

As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…
The Swan’s Daughter cover

The Swan’s Daughter

Author Roshani Chokshi
Genres Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Romantasy, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Fantasy Romance
Publication Date January 06, 2026
In this lush and romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.

To find love is a curse …


Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.

Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.

Until he meets Demelza.

As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.

While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.
What Boys Learn cover

What Boys Learn

Author Andromeda Romano-Lax
Genres Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Adult, Adult Fiction
Publication Date January 06, 2026
A twisty, jaw-dropping psychological thriller that unravels a mother’s worst nightmare—that her child is capable of terrible violence—when her teenage son becomes a suspect in the murder of two classmates, from the author of The Deepest Lake.

Over one terrible weekend, two teenage girls are found dead in a wealthy Chicago suburb. As the community mourns, Abby Rosso, the girls’ high school counselor, begins to suspect that her son was secretly involved in their lives—and possibly, their deaths.

Abby doesn’t want to believe Benjamin hurt anyone. But she’s seen the warning signs before. Two decades ago, her brother was imprisoned for a disturbing crime—he was only a little older than Benjamin is now. And Abby has more troubling memories from her own adolescence that confirm what boys and men are capable of. As Abby searches for the truth about what happened to her students, she’s forced to face the Has she been making excuses for Benjamin for years?

Swirling with sharp questions about family and masculinity, What Boys Learn is a twisty thriller that unravels a mother’s worst fears to explore how boys are raised—and what they are taught they can get away with.
Dragon Cursed cover

Dragon Cursed

Author Elise Kova
Genres Fantasy, Dragons, Romantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Young Adult Fantasy, Fantasy Romance
Publication Date January 06, 2026
The moment you see a dragon is usually your last…

Since the dragons emerged–along with the scourge that ravaged our lands and people–there’s only one human city that remains standing: Vingard.

But the hellfire from above is nothing compared to the threat from within. For there is no worse fate than being dragon cursed. Slowly and excruciatingly, you’ll be transformed into a mindless beast who destroys everything–and everyone–you love.

Any of us could be tainted. Any of us could be lying. Any of us could be caught and killed by the authorities.

And I’m terrified that I might be next.

There’s only one other person who might suspect my secret. He’s like my shadow, following me wherever I go. Part protector, part tormentor, fully annoying. Sometimes I think I am just one of the million unfathomable secrets he keeps hidden.

Because Lucan definitely knows something.

And if I’m dragon cursed, death might be the only mercy I get.
Rings of Fate cover

Rings of Fate

Author Melissa de la Cruz
Genres Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Adult, Fantasy Romance, Fiction, High Fantasy
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Every barmaid dreams of a prince. Aren just didn’t expect hers to be cursed, arrogant, and bleeding magical ruin all over her tavern floor.

Aren Bellamore has no use for fairy tales—especially the kind that come stomping through her door with royal blood and a death sentence. She’s spent her life slinging ale, fending off drunks, and dreaming of escape. Not romance. Not crowns. Just more.

Prince Dietan is everything she never wanted: brooding, entitled, and bound to the Rings of Fate—ancient magical relics that were never meant to touch human flesh. Now they’re killing him. Slowly. Spectacularly. And when Aren accidentally triggers one, she gets tied to the curse, too.

If he dies, so does the kingdom. If she walks away, she’ll take the magic—and half the realm—down with her.

Their only hope? Each other.

Forced into an uneasy alliance, Aren and Dietan must unravel a mystery buried in legend, outwit a power-hungry usurper, and survive magic that’s turning against them both. And somewhere between dodging assassins and sharing too many fireside glances, Aren starts to wonder if her “more” might include the one thing she swore she didn’t want…

A prince. A curse. And a fate far more dangerous than falling in love.
The Odds of You cover

The Odds of You

Author Kate Dramis
Genres Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Adult, Fiction, Forced Proximity
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Once is chance. Twice is fate.

Sage Collins knows a thing or two about odds. A year ago, she was a data analyst until she burned it all down to pursue her dream of becoming an author. One whirlwind bestseller and a struggling second book later, and Sage isn’t sure she’ll ever write a novel again.

But then an accidental encounter with an irritating passenger on the flight to Comic Con leaves Sage in an untested position. That passenger is Theo Sharpe: a breakout actor on the cusp of fame. And, unfortunately, the paparazzi have mistaken her for his girlfriend.

Armed with signature British charm and a smile that could tame oceans, Theo wears fame like a well-fit coat…though Sage can see there’s something deeper held in his eyes. But his fans are too involved in the drama, the pressure to deliver the next bestseller is on, and Sage and Theo both must agree there’s nothing between them. They don’t have to acknowledge that saying it doesn’t make it true.

When Sage decides to flee to Scotland to clear her head and write her novel, she expects to find fresh air and the stillness to think. What she doesn’t expect is Theo Sharpe to come back into her life…and how he may be her greatest miscalculation of all.

An emotionally-charged novel in the vein of Ashley Poston and Yulin Kuang, The Odds of You is a smart and sexy first contemporary novel from bestselling romantasy author Kate Dramis.
Meet the Newmans cover

Meet the Newmans

Author Jennifer Niven
Genres Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Adult
Publication Date January 06, 2026
From #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Jennifer Niven, a novel about America’s favorite TV family, whose perfect façade starts to crack, for fans of Lessons in Chemistry and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

* * *


For two decades, Del and Dinah Newman and their sons, Guy and Shep, have ruled television as America’s Favorite Family. Millions of viewers tune in every week to watch them play flawless, black-and-white versions of themselves. But now it’s 1964, and the Newmans’ perfection suddenly feels woefully out of touch. Ratings are in free fall, as are the Newmans themselves. Del is keeping an explosive secret from his wife, and Dinah is slowly going numb—literally. Steady, stable Guy is hiding the truth about his love life, and rock ‘n roll idol Shep may finally be in real trouble.

When Del—the creative motor behind the show— is in a mysterious car accident, Dinah decides to take matters into her own hands. She hires Juliet Dunne, an outspoken young reporter, to help her write the final episode. But Dinah and Juliet have wildly different perspectives about what it means to be a woman, and a family, in 1964. Can the Newmans hold it together to change television history? Or will they be canceled before they ever have the chance?

Funny, big-hearted, and deeply moving, Meet the Newmans is a rich family story about the dual lives we lead. Because even when our lives aren’t televised weekly, we all have a behind-the-scenes.
Skylark cover

Skylark

Author Paula McLain
Genres Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, World War II, France, Art, Adult Fiction
Publication Date January 06, 2026
The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette’s efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.

1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.

A spellbinding and transportive look at a side of Paris known to very few—the underground city that is a mirror reflection of the glories above—Paula McLain’s unforgettable new novel chronicles two parallel journeys of defiance and rescue that connect in ways both surprising and deeply moving.
Jealous Rage cover

Jealous Rage

Author Sav R. Miller
Genres Dark Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Adult, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Forced Proximity
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Forbidden Fruit Never Tasted So Sweet

Professor Sutton Dupont’s tenure at Avernia College is as complicated as his family’s bloody history, but when the most irresistible temptation he’s ever faced slinks into his classroom, Sutton finds himself desperate enough to risk it all.

After years trying to make a name for herself in Hollywood, Elle Anderson winds up a college freshman at twenty-five, running from her past and lying to everyone she knows. Especially the green-eyed professor whose forbidden kiss has her starving for more.

Sutton knows he should stay away. But Elle stirs a hunger he can’t suppress, and the secrets haunting them both are too powerful to deny. After all, at Avernia, rules were meant to be broken…and some desires are too dangerous to resist.

From USA Today bestselling author Sav R. Miller comes a deliciously dark and twisted expansion of the Monsters & Muses series.
The Charmed Library cover

The Charmed Library

Author Jennifer Moorman
Genres Fantasy, Magical Realism, Fiction, Romance, Books About Books, Audiobook, Magic
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Blending the magic of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep , the bookish wonder of The Lost Bookshop , and the small-town ambiance of Rachel Linden, The Charmed Library invites you into a world where words come alive, secrets are steeped in magic, and lives are transformed one story at a time.

What happens when you open your heart to the stories waiting to be written?

Stella Parker is stuck. Stuck back in her childhood bedroom in the small town she grew-up in. Stuck between playing it safe and making a change. Stuck in heartbreak. As an assistant librarian, she’s surrounded by her favorite words. But Stella has a she can see words not just on the page but all around her–words that shimmer and flit like living things, carrying emotions and whispers of untold stories. For years, she’s kept this gift hidden, scribbling fragments into notebooks, unsure of their purpose.

After a lifetime of seeing and hiding her words, Stella views her gift as a mere curiosity, filling countless notebooks with words, poetry, and unfinished stories that seem to insist on being penned. However, Stella’s world is upended when she tosses a journal filled with love notes to her ex into the library’s furnace. This impulsive act awakens a new kind of magic–words that surge through her with undeniable urgency and purpose. Suddenly, Stella begins to Could her gift help guide others to the stories they need most? Could these words hold the power to change lives–including her own?

Things get complicated when, after hours in the library, Stella encounters unusual visitors and stumbles upon the library’s long-held secrets of magic. Her questions lead her deep into the library’s hidden magic, where she discovers the extraordinary ability to bring fictional characters to life. As she navigates the chaos of keeping the library’s secrets safe, managing an enchanting WWII soldier, an unexpected villain, and her own meddlesome brother, Stella finds herself on a journey of love, courage, and rediscovery.

With a hint of summer love, a journey of self-discovery, and the extraordinary power of words, The Charmed Library is a captivating exploration of life’s possibilities when you dare to embrace the magic within.
Only on Gameday cover

Only on Gameday

Author Kristen Callihan
Genres Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports, Audiobook, Fake Dating, Contemporary
Publication Date January 06, 2026
An ALL-NEW sports romance from New York Times bestseller Kristen Callihan with high emotional stakes and a slow-burn, steamy heat level.

A “fake” fiancée is just the trick to help a bad-boy football player clean up his image. Trouble is, there’s nothing fake about the way August feels about his “pretend” fiancée.


August Luck is on the brink of greatness: top NFL draft pick, a great team, multiple corporate sponsorships, but he keeps messing it up with bonehead moves. After his latest shenanigan goes viral, everyone is telling him to get his act together.

Penelope Morrow grew up with August. Their mothers were best friends. Unfortunately, Pen always fled the room with a look of disapproval on her pretty face whenever August was around. But Pen has a problem too: she inherited her grandparent’s house and can’t pay the estate tax.

On a whim, August decides a temporary public engagement is the solution to both their problems—he’ll pay her taxes, and she’ll help his image. Win-win.

But, when it comes to Pen, nothing is certain or safe. Because Pen isn’t so reserved anymore. This time, she’s smiling back at him. And he likes it. A lot. Will they each survive the ruse unscathed?

Game on…

Perfect for readers who love:
• Shy girl/sunshine boy
• Hero in hot pursuit
• Unrequited love + epic yearning
• Fake dating (or is it?)
• Delicious slow-burn romance
• Childhood nemeses (all grown up)
Wreck Your Heart cover

Wreck Your Heart

Author Lori Rader-Day
Genres Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Suspense, Music, Family, Cozy
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Dahlia “Doll” Devine had the kind of hardscrabble beginning that could launch a thousand broken-hearted country songs, but now she’s the star of her own stage at McPhee’s Tavern. As part of Chicago’s—yes, Chicago’s—country music scene, Dahlia is an up-and-coming singer in spangles and boots of classic country tunes. Up and coming, that is, until her boyfriend Joey up and went, taking the rent money with him.

So Dahlia is back to square one, relying on Alex McPhee—again. Alex helped her out of a bad situation when she was a kid living rough with her mother. Now he’s part landlord, part band booster, all-around rescuer. It’s just that Dahlia wishes she didn’t keep giving him reasons to have to do it.

Just as Dahlia suspects she’s scraped rock bottom, the mother she hasn’t spoken to in twenty years shows up with something to say. The next morning, a distraught young woman arrives at the bar, asking after her missing mother—Dahlia’s mother, too, even if the missing suburban PTA mom the girl describes sounds pretty different from the one who let Dahlia down all those years ago.

Though no one is using the word sister any time soon, Dahlia lets herself be drawn into reuniting the family that might have been hers. But when a body is discovered outside McPhee’s Tavern, the crime threatens not just the place Dahlia has made into a home, but everything she’s believed about her past, her dreams for the future, and the people she was just, maybe, beginning to let into her heart.
Beth Is Dead cover

Beth Is Dead

Author Katie Bernet
Genres Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Retellings, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.
Drive Me Crazy cover

Drive Me Crazy

Author Lizzy Dent
Genres Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports, Forced Proximity, Workplace Romance, Second Chance
Publication Date January 06, 2026
“I love, love, love Lizzy Dent.” —Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Sparks fly when an up-and-coming team principle and her new hot-shot driver—and former childhood crush—are forced to work together to save their careers and team in this deliciously winning Formula 1 romance.


Can they navigate the twists and turns of love without crashing and burning?

As one of the first female team principles in Formula 1, Chloe Coleman is determined to prove herself and transform her failing team from underdogs to champions. Nothing can ruin her strategy—except maybe the surprising new addition of a cocky, top-tier driver who’s lost his edge. And he just so happens to be her estranged childhood crush who still sends her heart racing.

Matt Warner needs a comeback. A former champion, he hasn’t won a race since the disastrous crash that landed his best friend and teammate in the hospital. If there’s a silver lining to this scandalous demotion, it’s his fierce and familiar new boss, Chloe. But as the competition heats up, so does an unexpected spark that turns dangerously and passionately hot. With the world watching and pressures of the season mounting, will their chemistry lead them to victory, or spin them out of control?
Axe and Grind cover

Axe and Grind

Author Taylor Hutton
Genres Romance, Dark Romance
Publication Date January 06, 2026
In this decadently dark romance, a virtual dating experiment spins into a deadly web of obsession, greed, love, and passion.

Josie Greene has always been a glass half-full kind of girl. But after a messy breakup, she’s broke, betrayed, and barely getting by. Even her trusted tarot cards point to chaos in her future. And they’re Axe MacKenzie needs her help.

As part of the tech CEO’s latest covert mission, Axe has been developing a simulator to create any user’s “Perfect Match,” and bubbly Josie is the ideal woman to test his product. When the gorgeous, reclusive billionaire makes her an offer—fake date him so he can launch his groundbreaking AI dating app—Josie’s in no position to refuse.

But Axe’s two worlds collide as the criminal underworld corrupts their experimental fling. What started as steamy role-play quickly spirals into a very real threat, leaving both Josie and Axe no choice but to uncover their well-buried pasts. With her life on the line, Josie will have to trust the man who has created the ultimate virtual illusion—and who might be hiding the most sinister truths of all…
Playing for Keeps cover

Playing for Keeps

Author Alexandria Bellefleur
Genres Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Queer, Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance
Publication Date January 06, 2026
Lambda Literary Award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur returns with a steamy Sapphic rom-com about two rival publicists who are forced to work together when their mega-famous clients—a popstar and a quarterback—begin to date.

Poppy Peterson’s life is finally back on track and she’s thriving as the publicist of the NFL’s most promising quarterback (and her childhood best friend), Cash Curran. So, she doesn’t appreciate when he makes an impulsive and public pass at America’s popstar darling, Lyric Adair. When Lyric’s notorious publicist Rosaline Sinclair reaches out, Poppy is ready to face her wrath, but instead learns that Lyric is equally interested.

As Cash and Lyric embark on their ill-advised whirlwind romance, Poppy and Rosaline are forced together, each determined to protect their own client from the other. Poppy is frustrated by Rosaline’s cool demeanor, while at the same time, as a legend in the industry, she’s determined to impress her. But, no matter what she does, she can’t shake the feeling that Rosaline doesn’t like her.

That is until one steamy night, when the two women contend with their unexpected feelings and begin a messy romance of their own. But with paparazzi, tabloids, and stalker fans nipping at their heels, Poppy and Rosaline’s loyalties will be tested in ways they could never expect.

A high energy, Sapphic, and deeply sexy romance, Playing for Keeps has everything listeners expect from Alexandria Bellefleur and more!



workplace romance forced proximity secret relationship found family hurt/comfort
The Viper cover

The Viper

Author Brad Meltzer
Genres Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Thriller Suspense, Action
Publication Date January 06, 2026
New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer is back with his thrilling Zig and Nola series, unraveling a shocking cold case with a personal—and deadly—twist.

Andrew Fechmeier is a master at hiding. He’d better be—he’s spent decades concealing a secret that could get him killed. So when he’s diagnosed with a terminal disease, he heads for the local funeral home carrying the blue suit he eventually wants to be buried in. But what no one knows is that Fechmeier secretly tucked something inside, turning the suit into a final, untraceable hiding spot.

It’s a perfect plan. Until Fetch is brutally murdered by a mysterious killer who will stop at nothing to find the priceless object hidden in the suit.

Wasting no time, the cunning but unconventional Roddy LaPointe opens an investigation into Fetch’s murder, recruiting help from his friend, the brilliant “Zig” Zigarowski. But it doesn’t take long for Zig to discover the real reason Roddy cares so much about this Fetch’s death is tied to Roddy’s mother, who was murdered decades earlier.

As the relentless killer closes in, Roddy’s twin sister—the enigmatic and volatile Nola Brown—starts investigating for herself, uncovering a sinister plot that reveals their mother’s dark history, the true identity of her killer, and the shocking secret behind her death.

Don’t turn your back on The Viper.
Definitely Maybe Not a Detective cover

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective

Author Sarah Fox
Genres Mystery, Romance, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Cozy
Publication Date January 06, 2026
In this delightfully charming rom-com mystery, a woman becomes accidentally entangled in a murder investigation (and with a handsome stranger) when her fake detective agency is enlisted to solve a real homicide—from the bestselling author of the Pancake House Mysteries.

Emersyn Gray is definitely not a detective.

Really, she’s an unemployed twenty-eight-year-old raising her beloved niece in the only place she can afford after her ex-boyfriend ran off with her life a run-down, seniors-only apartment complex that was desperate for tenants. But never fear—her wild best friend has the perfect plan to get Emersyn back on her feet and stick it to her thieving scare him into returning her money by hiring a private investigator to prove he stole it. Only, there won’t be an actual detective, just a fabricated business card from Wyatt Investigations. . .and a ridiculously hot stranger who steps in to play the part—a stranger whose name is, coincidentally, Wyatt.

Emersyn can’t help but notice the real-life Wyatt is capital H-O-T hot, even though she’s wary of his intentions. But her ex does seem flustered, and if she can get her money back and regain control of her life, maybe it’ll finally prove to her parents that she can be a responsible caregiver to her niece.

But the day after they set their plan in motion, the superintendent of Emersyn’s apartment building winds up dead, and her neighbors turn to her fake detective for help after finding one of the phony business cards. With so many eyes on them—or maybe just their eyes on each other—Emersyn and Wyatt agree to take on the case. Now the question Can they solve the murder without getting tangled up in their own fictions—or each other?
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Tidespeaker

Author Sadie Turner
Genres Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, Young Adult Fantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Publication Date January 06, 2026
A girl with the power to command the tides has her life changed when she secures a job serving a wealthy noble family—only to learn upon arrival that the last person to fill her post mysteriously died, and her new employers are hiding dark secrets—in this haunting and lush debut fantasy.

Corith Fraine is a Floodmouth—her words can control water. Yet for those born with her rare elemental ability, paths forward are few, and Corith is one of the lucky ones. She has spent most of her life in a prestigious magic institution, training to one day achieve the highest possible honor for a member of her kind: the chance to serve one of the hundred noble houses.

When Corith learns she’s secured a post working for House Shearwater, a reclusive noble family living on a wave-battered island, she thinks her hard work has paid off. Until she discovers that their previous Floodmouth—Corith’s closest friend—mysteriously died in their service. And Corith is her replacement.

To learn the truth of her best friend’s accident, Corith must unravel the dark conspiracies at the heart of Bower Island. Yet doing so will require contending with the island’s deadly tides and her enigmatic new employers—including the family’s brooding youngest son, Llir, who she finds herself equally drawn to and repelled by. With her loyalties pushed to breaking point, these treacherous waters may well pull Corith under…

“A lush and atmospheric fantasy that readers will devour. Set on an isolated island with elemental magic and a tension-filled slow burn romance, TIDESPEAKER drew me into its current and refused to let go. A spectacular debut from an exciting new voice.”New York Times bestselling author Rachel Griffin

“Awash with intrigue and characters with morals as grey as its mist-shrouded isle, Turner’s masterful debut delivers evocative prose, explorations of injustice and violence, and an exquisite slow-burn romance. Corith is the deeply relatable autistic heroine I needed as a teen.” – Leanne Schwartz, author of To a Darker Shore and A Prayer for Vengeance
Love Goes Viral cover

Love Goes Viral

Author Camille Stochitch
Genres Romance, Fake Dating, Young Adult, Contemporary
Publication Date January 06, 2026
An aspiring pop star crafts a fake relationship with a small-town boy to rehab her image, until her ex and her real feelings get in the way in this sweeping romance perfect for fans of Lynn Painter.

Love Thompson went viral. Now she has it all—fifty million followers, brand deals, a Hollywood address, and the fast track to the music career she’s always dreamed of—until…she doesn’t.

After Love takes the blame for her influencer boyfriend’s mistake, the fallout goes more viral than the video that rocketed her to fame. By the next morning, she’s already lost sponsorships, ten million followers, and her debut single. Love needs to rehab her image, and that means dating someone a little more homegrown.

Enter Austin Grey. Austin is about as homegrown as it gets. His only followers are the regulars at his family’s struggling diner that he’s doing his best to save. But everything changes when he gets a DM from a star he never expected to cross paths with again.

When Love walks back into Austin’s life, she thinks this is a purely online scheme with an expiration date. But as genuine feelings start to develop that keep them coming back to each other again and again, will either of them be willing to take a chance on something real?
Room to Breathe cover

Room to Breathe

Author Kasie West
Genres Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Friends To Lovers, Young Adult Romance
Publication Date January 06, 2026
From the critically acclaimed author of Sunkissed comes a new swoony YA romance. Indy and Beau’s friendship is shattered, but getting accidentally locked in a bathroom together just might be what’s needed to reconnect.

When the walls close in, the truth comes out.

When Indy’s life came crashing down, she made a no one could know. To the world, she’s still the same Indy—cool, calm, unshaken. But behind the scenes? It’s chaos.

Her tight-knit crew—Beau, Caroline, and Ava—were once her everything. Now they’re strangers she can’t seem to reach—especially Beau. And the only person she talks to these days is Cody, a skater-boy she used to think was so not her type. Funny how everything changes when your world flips upside down.

And then, as if things couldn’t get weirder, Indy finds herself literally stuck in a school bathroom with Beau. After months of silence, and there’s no escape. If they want out, they’ll have to face the messy truth about what happened between them and find a way back to what they once had. Or maybe even more . . .
Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture cover

Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture

Author Charles Knowles
Genres Science, Nonfiction, Self Help, Addiction, Health
Publication Date January 06, 2026
We drink it, celebrate with it, and barely question it—but what is alcohol really doing to us?

Drinking alcohol can be fun; its chemical effects on our brain are fundamentally pleasurable, and it can have social benefits. Alcohol may also help us forget the worries in our lives and temporarily overcome psychological barriers to human interaction.

But there are downsides. We now know that alcohol, even in quite modest amounts, is not good for our long-term health. So why do we, as humans, consume alcohol at all, and why does our tendency to drink “too much” vary from person to person?

Pairing scientific expertise with his personal experiences, Dr. Charles Knowles offers us an accessible window into what really happens in our brains and bodies when we drink, and why we do it. People vary greatly in the amount of reward they derive from alcohol, both physically and mentally. It’s in the genes that we were born with and the environment in which we grew up. For some of us, alcohol is greatly enhancing; for others, it is not much fun at all.

For the sober curious, those who may need help, and also readers just interested in a popular science book on what happens when we sip a glass of wine, Why We Drink Too Much teaches readers the science behind drinking and invites us to examine our relationship with alcohol.
This Side of Gone: A Vinnie Taylor Mystery cover

This Side of Gone: A Vinnie Taylor Mystery

Author Saundra Mitchell
Genres Mystery, Thriller, Adult
Publication Date January 06, 2026
In this gripping debut PI procedural, an ex-cop is dragged back into the policing world that she fled when a teen girl goes missing in her new town.

Please help me. I think he killed Avery.

Vinnie Taylor isn’t a cop anymore. Once a decorated detective, Vinnie left behind a 25-year career in a blaze of scandal—working undercover to bust a sex trafficking ring in her own Homicide Unit. Nearly beaten to death by her former colleagues to prevent her testimony, Vinnie has found peace in the small town of Wills Harbor, Maryland. Or so she thought.

When a local teenager goes missing and nobody in town seems concerned besides the girl’s best friend, Vinnie can’t help but take the case, even if it means returning to a world she’s gone hundreds of miles to leave behind. She feels a certain kinship with Avery Adair, a whip smart teen who grew up on the wrong side of town, just like Vinnie.

But as she digs deeper, Vinnie uncovers a trail of dangerous online encounters and a double life that Avery kept from even her best friends. The closer Vinnie gets to answers, the more perilous her own circumstances become. Does Vinnie have the courage to face the ghosts of her past and the ugly truths hiding in her new hometown?
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16 Forever

Author Lance Rubin
Genres Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult Romance
Publication Date January 06, 2026
It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way.

He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…

But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.

Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.

Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.

With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16?

Filled with tender moments, silly banter, and lots of teenage angst, 16 Forever is the latest YA page-turner from New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Lance Rubin.
Wildwood cover

Wildwood

Author Amy Pease
Genres Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Fiction, Adult Fiction
Publication Date January 06, 2026
From the acclaimed author of the “riveting debut” (People) Northwoods, a mother-son law enforcement team confront buried secrets in their small town as they work to expose a conspiracy that goes far beyond the tight-knit community.

Deputy Sheriff Eli North has spent the last year getting his life back together. He hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol, he’s working through his PTSD from his military deployment, and he’s repairing his most important relationships. When an undercover informant disappears and all signs point to murder, Eli must expose the dark underbelly of his idyllic Wisconsin small town while safeguarding his newfound stability.

Then, with the unexpected arrival of FBI Agent Alyssa Mason, Eli and his mother, the sheriff, are pulled deeper into a violent criminal network built on the backs of the lost and forgotten.

As the case deepens, loyalties fracture and the line between justice and survival begins to blur. In a town where everyone has something to hide, exposing the truth may cost them everything.
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Through Gates of Garnet and Gold

Author Seanan McGuire
Genres Fantasy, Novella, Young Adult, Adult, Fiction, Queer, LGBT
Publication Date January 06, 2026
A fan-favorite character returns in this action-packed instalment of the Hugo Award-winning Wayward Children series.

After Nancy was cast out of the Halls of the Dead and forced to enroll at Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children, she never believed she’d find her door again, and when she did, she didn’t look back. She disappeared from the school to resume her place in the Halls, never intending to return.

Years have passed. A darkness has descended on the Halls, and the living statues who populate them are dying at the hands of the already dead. The Lord and Lady who rule the land are helpless to stop the slaughter, forcing Nancy to leave the Halls again, this time on purpose, as she attempts to seek much-needed help from her former schoolmates.

But who would volunteer to quest in a world where the dead roam freely?

And why are the dead so intent on adding to their number?

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments down below.

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