January 2025 Book Releases

The Favorites

Author: Layne Fargo

Year: 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This fantastic story is about Katrina Shaw’s rise to the Olympics alongside her ice dance partner, and sometimes boyfriend, Heath Rocha. It’s told in a multi-narrator documentary style reminiscent of Daisy Jones & The Six.

It starts when Katrina is a motherless 10-year-old girl, captivated by Sheila Lin, an Olympic Gold Medalist. Heath is a foster child, enamored by Kat and willing to do anything to be in her orbit – including becoming her ice dance partner.

When their chemistry and technique captures the attention of Sheila and her twins – the begin to train at her facility – a dream for Katrina. But Kat’s drive for gold threatens her relationship with Heath.

Inspired by Wuthering Heights, this retelling is epic in scope and creative in execution. The secondary characters (particularly the Lins) are each as fascinating as the main protagonists and being able to hear from them as narrators really enhances the story.

Why Kirsten loves it

There is love, passion, betrayal, death, breakdowns, comebacks, rebellion and so much more in this riveting story. The book (I recommend consuming it on audio) captured my attention and never let me go.

This one is going to be a massive hit and it’s well-deserved. Now who is gonna buy the series rights? Cause I’m ready to see it on the screen.

Find this book in: Books About Female Athletes / Books About Sports

Tartufo

Author: Kira Jane Buxton

Genre:

Release Date: January 28, 2025

More info: Thurber Prize Finalist author of Hallow Kingdom

Plot

This book takes place in a small ding village in Italy where the mayor nearly lost the election to a donkey. Now, the restaurants are shuttered and the town is falling apart. When a local truffle hunter finds a huge truffle (Tartufo), it could be worth a fortune and change the village for good. This book set in Italy looks like a hilarious pick from the January 2025 book releases.

Homeseeking

Author: Karissa Chen

Genre: Fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2025

More info: January 2025 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Plot

Suchi and Haiwen met when Suchi was seven in their Shanghai neighborhood. Their friendship grew to love only to be separated when Haiwen enlisted in the Nationalist army in 1947 to save his brother. Now, sixty years later, Haiwen sees Suchin in a Los Angeles market for the first time in 60 years. In this pick from the January 2025 book releases, we will travel from Hong Kong to Taiwan, New York and California as Haiwen’s story is told from Present to past and Suchi’s story is told from the past to the present.

Good Dirt

Author: Charmaine Wilkerson

Year: 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

In this powerful novel, Ebby Freeman is from a wealthy Black family who is haunted by tragedy—the unsolved shooting of her brother during her childhood along with the destruction of a cherished stoneware jar heirloom, known as Old Moe.

Years later, after being left at the altar by her fiance Henry, Ebby flees to France. While she’s there, she’s drawn back into the mystery surrounding her brother’s murder while simultaneously dealing with her disastrous would-be wedding day.

Sprinkled through the pages are chapters written by Ebby’s descendant, Willis, who escaped enslavement with the very jar that was destroyed.

Trigger Warnings

Racism, Rape (off-page)

Why Kirsten loves it

Like Black Cake, Wilkerson was able to capture my attention and hold me completely enthralled. I was drawn into each storyline and despite the book being nonlinear in format, I had no trouble keeping track of the various timelines, flashbacks, and flashforwards. Watching Ebby grow and deal with her trauma was profoundly moving. I truly can’t wait to see what Wilkerson writes next.

Find this book in: Books Set in France / Nonlinear Narrative

Let’s Call her Barbie

Author: Renee Rosen

Genre: Biographical Fiction

Release Date: January 21, 2025

Plot

In this well-researched biographical fiction, we learn about Ruth Handler, and how Barbie was born. In a time when the only dolls were babies, Ruth envisioned a doll who could be anything. This looks like a pick from the January 2025 book releases that will be going on our list of Best Books for Book Clubs to Read.

The Stolen Queen

Author: Fiona Davis

Year: 2025

Genre: Historical Mystery

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This book simultaneously tells the story of the Egyptian Gallery of the Met, the Met Gala (helmed by Diane Vreeland), and the discoveries of archaeological digs in Egypt.

In 1936, Charlotte Cross was an anthropology student working in the Valley of Kings when something happened that changed the course of her life. In 1978, Annie Jenkins is working for former Vogue editor, Diane Vreeland to organize the Met Gala.

When an ancient Egyptian necklace goes missing on the night of the Gala, Annie must work with Charlotte, now the associate curator in the Met’s Department of Egyptian Art, to recover the lost necklace.

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved both female leads – particularly Annie, who found the gumption to change her life circumstances. Davis‘s writing sucked me right in and I was fretting with nerves the night of the gala.

I loved each setting of The Stolen Queen, but Egypt really captured my heart. Another hit by one of my favorite authors.

Find this book in: Fashion Books

Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf

Author: Isa Arden

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Plot

Margaret Shoard is a Shakespearean stage actress I was just finished playing Lady Macbeth. When she has a public meltdown, she is prescribed uppers by her doctor. She is married to Wesley, her best friend, but is not solely interested in women. When Wesley is invited to join the Shakespearean cast by an eccentric Director. He decides to go and Margot decides to join him. Soon, Wesley is involved in an affair with a man who may be more trouble than he’s worth. Their story is on its way to ending in tragedy.

The Girls of the Glimmer Factory

Author: Jennifer Coburn

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: January 28, 2025

More info: Author of Cradles of the Reich

Plot

In this WWII novel, Jewish prisoner Hannah is determined to expose the truth behind the Nazi propaganda film being shot in the Theresienstadt ghetto, where she’s held captive. As she and other resistance members work to disrupt the production and stop deportations, Hilde, a Nazi propaganda worker and Hannah’s former friend, sees an opportunity to advance her career by manipulating their past connection. The story explores themes of resistance, friendship, and the dangers of propaganda during WWII.

Isola

Author: Allegra Goodman

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: January 21, 2025

More info: Author of Sam

Plot

This pick from the January 2025 book releases is inspired by a real sixteenth-century woman. After Marguerite is orphaned and her guardian sells off her property to pay off his debts, he leaves her on a deserted island after he discovers her love affair with his servant. Stripped of her former life of privilege, Marguerite must rely on her faith, love, and inner strength to survive the harsh elements of the island.

The Kennedy Girl

Author: Julia Bryan Thomas

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: January 14, 2025

Plot

In this novel by Julia Bryan Thomas, newly orphaned Mia is offered a seemingly glamorous modeling job in Paris at the House of Rousseau in 1960. However, she soon discovers that the fashion house is involved in an international espionage scheme, pulling her into a world of intrigue and danger. As Mia becomes entangled in national crimes and politics, she must choose where her loyalties lie.

Onyx Storm

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Release Date: January 21, 2025

More info: The Empyrean Series Book 3

Plot

There have been no leaks about the plot of this follow-up to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. If you want to catch up on all the info, check out our posts Fourth Wing Series in Order: 5 Fantasy Books to Obsess Over! and The Best Books Like Fourth Wing. Pre-order now to receive the gorgeous sprayed edges.

A Sea of Unspoken Things

Author: Adrienne Young

Genre: Fiction/ Magical Realism

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Plot

James and Johnny are twins who have a connection to each other that is unexplainable. They can feel each other’s feelings. When Johnny is killed, James knows immediately that something happened and she is determined to find out what happened to her brother. But as she investigates, she realizes that the connection is not gone and that the further she digs, the more unwanted secrets she might discover.

The Rainfall Market

Author: You Yeong-Gwang

Year: 2025

Genre: January 21, 2025

More info: Translated by Slin Jung

Age Range: 14+

Plot

There is a house outside of Rainbow Town where you can send a letter telling all your troubles. If they send you a ticket, you can bring it to the house on the first day of the rainy season you are granted admission to the Rainfall Market. Once inside, you have a week to find what your perfect life will look like. But if you cannot, you will be left to wander the Rainfall Market forever.

Serin longs for a chance to enter the Rainfall Market. Her sister is gone, she struggles with school, and she and her mother struggle financially. When she receives the coveted ticket, she is determined to find a better life.

When she enters, she meets a magical cat named Issha who acts as her guide as they travel through the magical stores in the market. Will she find the happy ending she is longing for?

Why Jackie loves it

I loved this magical realism book. It is unique and unlike anything I have read before. Even though the book has some deeper themes, the book feels light-hearted throughout. I loved the magical journey Serin takes to find herself and her happiness.

Find this book in: Best Magical Realism

The In-Between Bookstore: A Novel

Author: Edward Underhill

Genre: Magical Realism Fiction

Release Date: January 14, 2025

Plot

Darby Oaks is a trans man who is almost 30, unemployed, and forced to move from his home in NYC back to his hometown in Oak Falls. Some things about the town seem very different but the bookstore that was his refuge feels exactly the same. When Darby realizes that the newspapers in the bookstore are dated from 2009 and the kid behind the counter looks just like his 16-year-old self, he realizes he has a chance to change his own present for the better.

The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds

Author: Jennifer Moorman

Year: 2025

Genre: Magical Realism

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

Josephine Reynolds is widowed at thirty-five and feels like her life is over as well. She lost herself in her marriage and now that her husband is gone, she feels like she has nothing left. She makes a wish that changes everything. Convinced that she needs a new start, Josephine’s sister sends her a link to their family home that has fallen into some disrepair and is for sale.

When Josephine finds the home’s original door, she installs it only to discover that she is transported back to 1927. There, she meets her great-grandmother, Alma, who runs a speakeasy out of the house’s basement. Soon Josephine discovers that by stepping into the past, she may have put her own future in jeopardy. Suddenly, things in the present begin disappearing like pieces of furniture and photos. She realizes that if she wants to save herself, she will need to save Alma as well.

Trigger Warnings

Death of a Husband (off the page)

Why Jackie loves it

Josephine’s grief at the beginning of the book is palpable and yet, it does not weigh the story down. As Josephine fights to save Alma, she also learns to fight for herself as well. I love the way the story developed and the touch of magic makes to story feel hopeful. This is perfect for historical fiction fans as well.

Find this book in: Magical Realism Books / Books Set in the 1920s

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

Author: Grady Hendrix

Year: 2025

Genre: Horror Thriller

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

In 1970, Fern arrived at Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a home for wayward girls where pregnant girls are expected to have their babies in secret and give them up for adoption. Everything the girls do is monitored very closely from what they eat and when to check-ups, sleeping schedule, and when they will have their babies.

They are treated like pariahs with all autonomy removed and are expected to give their babies away and pretend like nothing ever happened. When Fern meets a librarian who gives her a book on witchcraft, everything is about to change. Now the girls try and rebel in the only way they can- with witchcraft.

Trigger Warnings

Statutory rape, rape, child abuse, gore

Why Jackie likes it

The witchcraft in this book is really secondary to the historical fiction part of this story. At times, it was difficult to read because the girls were so helpless. They had no control over any part of their lives. The witchcraft really is a metaphor for the lengths that these young women and girls went through to have control over their own lives. At times, the story was gory and in true Hendrix fashion, not for those who do not like horror.

Find this book in: January 2025 Book Releases

Beautiful Ugly: A Novel

Author: Alice Feeney

Year: 2025

Genre: Thriller

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Grady Green, an author, anxiously awaits news about the sales of his latest book. He had hoped his wife, Abby, would be with him when the call came, but she was still on her way home. During a phone call with her, he hears the screech of brakes as Abby exclaims that there’s a woman in the road. Despite his desperate pleas for her to stay in the car, Abby gets out to check on the woman. Suddenly, the call cuts off.

When Grady drives to her location, he finds Abby’s car perched dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. The driver’s door is open—but Abby is gone.

A year later, Abby is still missing, and Grady is consumed by grief and insomnia. Struggling to move forward, his editor, Kitty, offers him a lifeline: a chance to escape to a remote Scottish island to work on his next book. Grady needs the money and the change of scenery to start rebuilding his life.

The island, isolated and sparsely populated, has strict rules—no visitors during the off-season and no cars for non-residents. It seems like the perfect place to write. But when Grady sees a woman who looks exactly like Abby, he begins to question his sanity. Is it a cruel trick of the mind, or something much more mysterious? #gifted

Trigger Warnings

Alcoholism

Why Jackie loves it

Alice Feeney never fails to write a fantastic thriller and this book was no exception. It is fast-paced, smart, and unexpected. Grady is an alcoholic which makes him an unreliable narrator; however, his character is more than just an alcoholic. I often dislike unreliable narrators but I loved this book.

Find this book in: Books About Scotland / Books with Unreliable Narrators

Cross My Heart

Author: Megan Collins

Year: 2025

Genre: Thriller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Rosie Lachlan was left in her wedding dress and is now determined to find her soul mate – especially after she received a life-saving heart transplant. When she learns the identity of her heart donor, she becomes convinced that she and the donor’s husband are meant to be together.

Despite learning that Morgan Thorne may have had something to do with his wife’s death, Rosie is not sure she can stay away from his enigmatic pull. But not all is what it seemed in the Thornes marriage or with Rosie and her “rosie-colored” glasses.

Why Kirsten loves it

I’ve loved Megan Collins since The Family Plot so I was eager to get my hands on her latest book. It was just as suspenseful and surprising as all her books and I found myself gobsmacked by the plot-twist halfway through the story.

Find this book in: Books with Unreliable Narrators

The Crash

Author: Freida McFadden

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: January 28, 2025

More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Plot

Teagan is eight months pregnant when she leaves her old life. She gets in her car and flees to her brother’s house until she can figure out what to do but gets stranded in Maine after a car crash in a blizzard. She thinks she has been saved when a couple finds her and brings her to their cabin to wait out the storm. But as time goes by, she realizes she and her unborn baby are in grave danger, and she needs to find a way to escape. This pick from the January 2025 book releases is perfect for our list of Novels about Weather, Hurricanes, and Blizzards

Trust Issues: A Novel

Author: Elizabeth McCullough and Greg Wands

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: January 28th

Plot

Hazel and Kagan are siblings who have been cut off from the family fund after their mother remarried Perry. When they receive news of their mother’s suspicious death, the police have the two of them on their list of suspects. When they discover that Perry has disappeared with all the family money, the siblings must put aside their differences to find this conman. This pick from the January 2025 book releases is perfect for our Books about Con Artists and Thieves.

Flirting with Disaster

Author: Nina Kumar

Genre: Romance

Release Date: January 14, 2025

More info: Author of Say You’ll Be Mine

Plot

Oooh. I cannot wait to read this second-chance romance that is a reimagining of one of my favorite movies Sweet Home Alabama. Meena is a high-powered lawyer engaged to another lawyer and they are perfect together. The only problem is that before they can get married, Meena needs to go home to Texas to get a divorce from her husband Nikhil. When a hurricane traps Meena at home for longer than she thought, she begins to remember the reasons she married Nikhil. The reasons she left are suddenly not nearly as clear.

The Heart of Winter

Author: Jonathan Evison

Genre: Romance Fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Plot

Abe and Ruth had a disastrous blind date and somehow managed to get married and stay married for 70 years. They live on a farm in Bainbridge Island where they have lived an entire life together. When Ruth gets a loose tooth and it turns out it is a much more serious health crisis, Abe and Ruth must learn to be there for each other in different ways. Abe must learn how to take care of Ruth, even while their children question his ability to take care of her.

Give Me Butterflies: A Novel

Author: Jillian Meadows

Genre: Romance

Release Date: January 21, 2025

Plot

This is a STEM romance from the January 2025 book releases that I can’t wait to get my hands on. This 26 Grumpy Sunshine Trope Book about an astronomer and an entomologist looks like its part nerdy banter and part steamy tension. This looks like the perfect book to add some steam to the cold winter nights!

The Lodge

Author: Kayla Olsen

Genre: Romance

Release Date: January 7

Plot

Alix Morgan is an entertainment writer who has just taken a job as a ghostwriter for a memoir by Sebastian Green. He is a member of the famous boy band True North which fell apart after the disappearance of the lead singer. Now, Alix is staying at Sebastian’s Vermont report where she can write and take skiing lessons with a handsome instructor named Tyler. She soon realizes that they mystery of True North may be within her grasp.

Three Wild Dogs (and the Truth): A Memoir

Author: Markus Zusak

Genre: Memoir

Release Date: January 21, 2025

More info: International Best-Selling Author of The Book Thief

Plot

In this memoir, the author of The Book Thief tells the story of his family adopting three large, wild street dogs. The dogs caused complete havoc with fights, property damage, injuries, and more. This is truly a story of family and love.

The Survivor: How I made it Through Six Concentration Camps and Became a Nazi Hunter

Author: Josef Lewkowicz

Genre: Nonfiction

Release Date: January 27, 2025

Plot

Josef Lewkowicz survived six Nazi concentration camps and became a Nazi hunter in pursuit of Justice. He managed to capture SS Kommandant Amon Goeth, the nazi who tormented him throughout the war (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in Schindler’s List). This looks like a book that cannot be missed from the January 2025 book releases.

Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation 

Author: Michael Cannell

Genre: Nonfiction

Release Date: January 14, 2025

Plot

This pick from the January 2025 Book releases is the shocking story of NYPD detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, who acted as double agents for the Mafia in the 1980s. For over a decade, they leaked critical information to mob bosses, staged hits, and obstructed justice. Despite early evidence, they weren’t convicted until 2009, due to the relentless efforts of a determined cop, Tommy Dades.

After Life

Author: Gayle Forman

Genre: YA Fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Plot

When Amber arrives home on her bike, her mom sees her and screams. Amber died seven years ago when she was hit by a car riding the bike she now has in her hands. Life has moved forward seven years and Amber is unchanged. From her parents who are estranged and fighting over her to her sister who is now 7 years older, everyone is affected by Amber’s reappearance. This pick from the January 2025 book releases is on my TBR.

Royal Heirs Academy

Author: Lindsey Duga

Genre: YA Fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Plot

Four teens live at Almus Terra Academy (inspired by UWC of the Atlantic), a boarding school for the elite and the next generation of the world’s leaders. One of them will inherit a European kingdom. King Leander Eldana has not named the heir to the crown during his 50-year reign and will look to the walls of Almus Terra Academy to choose.

Breath of the Dragon

Author: Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: January 7, 2025

More info: Book 1 of Breathmarked

Plot

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of redeeming his family’s honor by winning the elite Guardian’s Tournament, a competition that chooses the protector of the magical Scroll of Heaven. Despite his father’s strict prohibition and the fact that Jun lacks the special abilities his twin brother has, he secretly joins the tournament. As Jun competes, he realizes that more than just his future is at stake—he may be fighting to save his country and loved ones.

Mystery Royale

Author: Kaitlyn Cavalancia

Year: 2025

Genre: YA Fantasy Mystery

Age: 14+

Plot

Mullory Prudence is sixteen-year-old and only has her late mother’s warnings to “run if the strange finds you,” left as memories. Nevertheless, she is drawn into a game called Mystery Royale at Stoutmire Estate, where the prize is a massive inheritance. Once there, she discovers the true prize is Xavier Stoutmire’s illusionary magic, coveted by a family willing to kill for it. To win the game, Mullory must solve the murder of Xavier Stoutmire while navigating family secrets and deciding whom she can trust.

The magical elements reminded me a bit of Caraval but with a distinctly Death Eater-type flavor. The story pits Lyric, Ellison (and her twin), and other relations in a game to win their deceased Uncle’s magic – along with outsider Mullary who is attempting to win and understand why she was chosen to participate in the puzzle.

Why Kirsten loves it

I was swept into the story and I couldn’t put it down. The magical parties and hidden puzzles were painted in such a vivid fashion that I could picture everything in my brain. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!!!

Find this book in: Puzzle Books / Books like the Night Circus

The Last Bookstore on Earth

Author: Lily Braun-Arnold

Genre: LGBTQ YA Fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2025

More info: YA Debut

Plot

In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by devastating storms, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been surviving in an abandoned bookstore in New Jersey. When a new storm threatens, Liz reluctantly lets Maeve, a mysterious outsider with useful survival skills, stay with her. As the two grow closer and romantic feelings develop, they must confront not only the impending climate disaster but also Maeve’s hidden past and Liz’s personal struggles.

The Queen’s Spade

Author: Sarah Raughley

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: January 14, 2025

More info: The Count of Monet Cristo meets Bridgerton

Plot

This pick from the January 2025 book releases is a historical thriller inspired by the true story of Sarah Bonetta Forbes, an African princess kidnapped and made the goddaughter of Queen Victoria. Set in 1862, Sarah, now known as Sally, seeks revenge against the British monarchy that enslaved her. As Queen Victoria grows suspicious, Sally must navigate a deadly game of power, manipulation, and a looming marriage, where the price of her vengeance may be her own freedom and heart.