32 Most Anticipated January 2024 Book Releases by Genre to Love

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

Genre: Fiction

Plot: This family drama from the January 2024 book releases is a powerful novel centered around a family’s quest to find the true essence of home in the aftermath of a devastating wildfire in present-day Greece. Irini, Tasso, and their daughter Chara must deal with the horrible consequences of the fire. Tasso is grieving for his father who has not been seen since the fire and his inability to paint due to burns. The novel delves into themes of tragedy, loss, and resilience.

Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

Genre: Fiction

Plot: I loved “The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie” and I cannot wait to read this pick from the January 2024 book releases. Georgia May Jackson is a sous-chef in Paris when she loses her boyfriend and sense of taste in one night. Now, she travels back home to Seattle with the hope of finding herself, her sense of taste and her sense of purpose. But, she may also discover the family’s mysterious legacy as well.

Family Family by Laurie Frankel

Genre: Literary Fiction

Plot: Laurie Frankel knows how to write a family drama and this pick from the January 2024 book releases is no exception. India Allwood succeeded in becoming the star she always wanted to be. Now, when she is promoting her new movie about adoption, she does the unthinkable and says it is a bad and one-sided portrayal. In order to fix her reputation, she asks her adopted daughter, Fig, for help and Fig finds the daughter India gave up for adoption.

Clover Henry’s Day Off by Beth Morrey

Genre: Fiction

Plot: Clover has never said no to anyone until now. She is taking the day off. She is going to do what she wants and say what she wants. There is more to this day than meets the eye in this delightful pick from the winter 2024 book releases.

Come and Get It by Kiley Reid

Genre: Fiction

Plot: I cannot believe that we are looking at the new release books for January 2024! Millie Cousins is a senior resident assistant at the University of Arkansas, who wants to graduate, get a job, and buy a house. When a visiting professor gives Millie an opportunity that might be more of a hustle, she jumps at the chance.

This book looks at money, greed, and what lengths people will go to for success.

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns

Genre: Fiction

Plot: At its heart, this pick from the winter 2023 book releases is a story about family. Marley West is seeking the family that she never had and finds it with the Joseph brothers. Marley marries one and becomes a mother figure to them all as they face old wounds. Can they save their family as it was or build a new family?

Light on the Fire by Sarahlyn Bruck

Genre: Fiction

Plot: In this pick from the winter 2024 book releases, Beth and Ally are both returning to their hometown after years away. Now, they are battling new problems but they must come to terms with old mistakes. Twenty years ago, their prank led to an accident that destroyed the high school and they let someone else take the blame. In this book about friendship, they will have to decide to face the truth or run away.

Wild and Distant Seas by Tara Karr Roberts

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Evangeline Hussey, an outsider on Nantucket, uses her unique ability to find her place in the declining whaling community after her husband’s disappearance at sea. When a sailor named Ishmael appears at her inn, her carefully crafted life begins to unravel. The story spans generations and locations, following Evangeline and her descendants as they navigate life. This pick from the January 2024 book releases is inspired by Moby-Dick.

Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: This pick from the January 2024 book releases tells the compelling stories of two women who have each lived through their own share of calamities. Violet, known as “Miss Unsinkable,” has survived multiple shipwrecks, including the Titanic, while Daphne, an agent during World War II, seeks to earn her father’s approval through her work for the Special Operations Executive. Their journeys of survival, family obligations, and self-discovery are interwoven and their connection will shape their lives.

The Curse of Pietro Houdini by Derek B. Miller

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: This pick from the January 2024 book releases is a WWII Historical Fiction set in August 1943, following the journey of fourteen-year-old Massimo. He becomes the assistant to Pietro Houdini who claims to be the “Master Artist and confidante of the Vatican.” Together with a diverse group of characters, including a nurse, a cafe owner, a German soldier, and a pair of lovers, they embark on a daring mission to smuggle priceless Titian paintings and ancient Greek gold to safety. We are excited for this thought-provoking read.

Picasso’s Lovers by Jeanne Mackin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: This is a biographical fiction that tells the story of Picasso and the women in his life. This pick from the January 2024 book releases is filled with the affairs, scandals, and art from one of the most famous artists of all time.

Diva by Daisy Goodwin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: This historical fiction pick from the January 2024 book releases is a story about an opera diva named Marlas Callaos, one of the most renowned sopranos ever to grace the stage. She had a famous love affair with Aristotle Onassis before he broke her heart and announced his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. This is a biographical fiction like you have never seen before.

The Mayor of Maxwell Street by Avery Cunningham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: In Chicago in 1921, Nelly Sawyer is a wealthy Black debutante with a secret life as an investigative journalist. She joins forces with Jay Shorey, a speakeasy manager, to uncover the identity of a dangerous crime leader known as the Mayor of Maxwell Street. Their partnership not only exposes corruption in the city but also sparks a love story that challenges the Jim Crow era. This pick from the winter 2024 book releases is a romance and historical drama in one epic debit.

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan

Genre: Horror Fantasy

Plot: This pick from the January 2024 book releases is a novel that blends elements of “Rebecca” and “The House of Spirits.” Set off the coast of South Africa, the story follows Sana and her father as they become the latest tenants of a mysterious mansion. As Sana explores the mansion’s history, she stumbles upon a locked room frozen in time, revealing the tragic story of Meena, the original owner’s second wife, and the grieving djinn who has haunted the mansion since her death. The novel weaves together themes of love, loss, and mystery.

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde #2) by Heather Fawcett

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: The first book in this series was one of my favorites of the year last year and I cannot wait to read this second book from our list of January 2024 book releases. Emily Wilde is an expert in faerie folklore and has written an encyclopedia on the subject. Now, she is trying to make a map of the realms of faerie in the hope of finding a door to their land. Brambleby, her boyfriend, colleague, and banished kind of the faerie world is also on the run from assassins sent to Cambridge by his mother.

The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Plot: This pick from the January 2024 book releases is a magical realism western that weaves together the stories of two generations of the Sonoro family. Antonio, a Mexican bandido in 1895, embarks on a quest for revenge after a heist gone wrong, leading him to confront the consequences of his actions. In 1964, his descendant Jaime, a renowned actor and singer, grapples with the dark history of his family and the possibility of inheriting their cosmic debts. This epic family saga looks like a must-read.

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: If you are obsessed with Sarah J. Maas like we are, this pick from the winter 2024 book releases is a must-read. This is the third book in the Cresent City Series. Looking for books to read while you are waiting? Check out 15 Sarah J Maas Books in Order: A Complete Guide to the Fantastic Books or the newest fantasy series, Fourth Wing!

The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer

Genre: Mystery

Plot: There have always been rumors that Van Gogh completed a self-portrait before he died but no one has ever been able to find the work. When Luke and Alexis discover what they think is the missing portrait, they are drawn into one of the biggest art puzzles of all time. This is a historical mystery that will leave you wanting to know more from this pick from January 2024 book releases.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

Genre: Mystery-Thriller

Plot: Everything about this pick from the January 2024 book releases screams my name. This is a murder thriller told by Elliot Chase. A private island, old friendships, a movie star, and a murder all come together in this isolation thriller. If you are a fan of Alex Michaelides books, this third one is sure to be the best one yet.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Genre: Mystery

Plot: The Alperton angles were a cult that almost convinced a teenage girl that her baby was the anti-Christ and needed to be killed. She called the police and disappeared. True Crime author Amanda Bailey wants to write a book about the case and revive her career. Oliver is another author who is also on the case. When they decide to collaborate, the truth may reveal more secrets than they thought possible. I already have this pick from the January 2024 book releases on my TBR.

Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody

Genre: Thriller

Plot: 10 years ago, Teddy’s older sister, Angie, went missing, and the case was never solved. Now, Teddy’s father, Mark, has killed himself and the family learns that he had been fixated on Angie’s disappearance. Teddy has fallen down the same rabbit hole as she tries to find out what happened to her sister. She just might destroy herself in the process. This thriller from January 2024 book releases, looks like a page-turner

The Search Party by Hannah Richell

Genre: Thriller

Plot: We love a good locked room mystery and this pick from the January 2024 book releases looks fantastic. When a glamping trip goes wrong and the participants are stranded, secrets from the past are brought to the surface and we question what lengths parents will go to in order to protect their kids.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Genre: Thriller

Plot: If you have been following us for a while, you know that we LOVE Rachel Hawkins. We cannot wait to read this book from the January 2024 book releases. Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore has died. She is North Carolina’s, richest woman, and is also famous for being the victim of a kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over. Now, after her death, her adopted son, Camden, wants nothing to do with any part of her inheritance. 10 years later, Cam and his wife are pulled back into the family and truths will start to arise.

The Night of the Storm by Nishita Parekh

Genre: Thriller

Plot: Hurricane Harvey is coming and Jih Shah needs to evacuate to her sister’s house. She is recently divorced, her son is having school trouble and she doesn’t like the wondering eye of her brother-in-law. Soon, the hurricane hits the house that is filled with family and someone is dead. Will Jih Shah go down for the murder or be the next victim? We cannot wait to read this thriller from January 2024 book releases.

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

Genre: Thriller

Plot: Emma’s husband has lost his job, they have just lost their apartment and she is pregnant. They are short on options when they decide to move into Emma’s parents’ old house. He doesn’t know much about her past so he is shocked to learn that her parents were murdered in their house, the one that they are moving into. Now, Emma must confront her estranged sisters and secrets will be revealed in this pick from the January 2024 book releases.

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban

Genre: Historical Romance

Plot: The description of this pick from the January 2024 book releases is unlike anything we have ever read and we cannot wait to read this queer Victorian romance. Two debutants decide to set up their widowed parents rather than find a husband during the debutante season. They end up finding out that they are each other’s perfect match in this romance that is described as the Parent Trap meets Bridgerton!

Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar

Genre: Romance

Plot: Meghan is a theatre teacher and aspiring playwright much to her parents dismay. Now, her best friend and crush is not only engaged but asked her to be the best man. Karthik is sick and tired of his parents setting him up with girls he has no interest in marrying. When Meghan and Karthik allow their parents to introduce them, a fake engagement seems like the perfect solution. We cannot wait to read this adorable romance from the January 2024 book releases.

The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Genre: Romance

Plot: A Riley Wynn is a superstar musician with an amazing single. Her ex-husband claims the song is about him and tried to capitolize on their relationship. She decides to call her ex-boyfriend, who the song is really about to come clean. He asks to come on the tour with her. As they perform old flames are rekindled. This is a pick from the January 2024 book releases about musician we do not want to miss.

Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

Genre: Romance

Plot: For years, Aurora pretended to have a Canadian boyfriend to get out of social situations in this pick from the winter 2024 book releases. She met Mike as a teen and it was the perfect excuse- especially since she would never see him again. Until, years later, she meets him as a widower and a professional hockey player. Aurora is battling demons of her own after a failed dance career. Can she come clean about her made-up past or will it destroy the bond that they have?

One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In by Kate Kennedy

Genre: Memoir

Plot: This is a hilarious and heartwarming memoir from the January 2024 book releases is an exploration of pop culture and how it shaped Kate as the woman she is today.

The Getaway List by Emma Lord

Genre: YA

Plot: Emma is tired of being the good girl and fulfilling everyone’s expectations. So on the day of her graduation, she packs her bags to visit her best friend Tom who moved away years ago. They decide the to their “getaway list”- a list of adventures they always wanted to to together. This is an adorable YA romance from the January 2024 book releases.

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy Romance

Plot: This pick from the January 2024 book releases has it all! Niamh has a magical gift that allows to her stitch her emotions into garments. When she agrees to make the clothes for a royal wedding, she has no idea that she will fall for the groom and then be blackmailed for information about him and his family. How can she risk her future and love without exposing herself?