Adding to Your TBR – December 2018
TBR – To Be Read tower/list
There’s an exciting selection of books about to be released. A mix of contemporary, thriller, fantasy, paranormal, mystery and historical fiction. Hope you find a few you’ll love. Preorder now for the holidays!
Winter Loon by Susan Bernhard
Expected: 1 December 2018
Described on Goodreads as ‘A haunting début novel about family and sacrifice’, and with unusually high ratings (4.26/5 star) for a first book, this is a highly anticipated read. I can’t wait! #YA
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Abandoned by his father after his mother drowns in a frozen Minnesota lake, fifteen-year-old Wes Ballot is stranded with coldhearted grandparents and holed up in his mother’s old bedroom surrounded by her remnants and memories. As the wait for his father stretches unforgivably into months, a local girl, whose own mother died a brutal death, captures his heart and imagination, reminding Wes that hope always floats to the surface.
When buried truths come to light in the spring thaw, wounds are exposed and violence erupts, forcing Wes to embark on a search for his missing father, the truth about his mother, and a future he must claim for himself—a quest that begins back at that frozen lake. – Abstract from Goodreads
The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau
Expected: 3 December 2018
Nancy Bilyeau, a popular historical fiction author, has drawn inspiration from her own Huguenot ancestry. The storyline sounds amazing and it includes art and espionage, I’m looking forward to this one. #historicalfiction
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In eighteenth-century London, porcelain is the most seductive of commodities; fortunes are made and lost upon it. Kings do battle with knights and knaves for possession of the finest pieces and the secrets of their manufacture.
For Genevieve Planché, an English-born descendant of Huguenot refugees, porcelain holds far less allure; she wants to be an artist, a painter of international repute, but nobody takes the idea of a female artist seriously in London. If only she could reach Venice.
When Genevieve meets the charming Sir Gabriel Courtenay, he offers her an opportunity she can’t refuse; if she learns the secrets of porcelain, he will send her to Venice. But in particular, she must learn the secrets of the colour blue…
The ensuing events take Genevieve deep into England’s emerging industrial heartlands, where not only does she learn about porcelain, but also about the art of industrial espionage.
With the heart and spirit of her Huguenot ancestors, Genevieve faces her challenges head on, but how much is she willing to suffer in pursuit and protection of the colour blue? – Abstract from Goodreads
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
Expected: 4 December 2018
Described on Goodreads as ‘richly atmospheric’ and ‘replete with folklore and suspense’ this dark, mysterious story sounds intriguing. #historicalfiction
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On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place. The regulars are telling stories to while away the dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger. In his arms is the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, the girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Is it magic? Or can science provide an explanation? These questions have many answers, some of them quite dark indeed.
Those who dwell on the river bank apply all their ingenuity to solving the puzzle of the girl who died and lived again, yet as the days pass the mystery only deepens. The child herself is mute and unable to answer the essential questions: Who is she? Where did she come from? And to whom does she belong? But answers proliferate nonetheless.
Three families are keen to claim her. A wealthy young mother knows the girl is her kidnapped daughter, missing for two years. A farming family reeling from the discovery of their son’s secret liaison, stand ready to welcome their granddaughter. The parson’s housekeeper, humble and isolated, sees in the child the image of her younger sister. But the return of a lost child is not without complications and no matter how heartbreaking the past losses, no matter how precious the child herself, this girl cannot be everyone’s. Each family has mysteries of its own, and many secrets must be revealed before the girl’s identity can be known. – Abstract from Amazon.com
Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst
Expected: 4 December 2018
Dragon-shifters, wizards and a high stake heist – what more could you want! #YA #Fantasy
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In Sky Hawkins’s family, leading your first heist is a major milestone–even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It’s a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you’re a wyvern–a human capable of turning into a dragon.
Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family’s wealth and rank in their community.
With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society–a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be. – Abstract from Goodreads
Strange Days by Constantine J. Singer
Expected: 4 December 2018
Strange Days is described as contemporary fiction with a sci-fi edge on Goodreads. A début author combined with very few early reviews doesn’t give us much to go on. Holding thumbs it is good! #YA #ScienceFiction
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Alex Mata doesn’t want to worry about rumors of alien incursions–he’d rather just skate and tag and play guitar. But when he comes home to find an alien has murdered his parents, he’s forced to confront a new reality: aliens are real, his parents are dead, and nobody will believe him if he tells. On the run, Alex finds himself led to the compound of tech guru Jeffrey Sabazios, the only public figure who stands firm in his belief that aliens are coming.
At Sabazios’s invitation, Alex becomes a Witness, one of a special group of teens gifted with an ability that could save the Earth: they can glide through time and witness futures. When a Witness sees a future, that guarantees it will happen the way it’s been seen, making their work humanity’s best hope for stopping the alien threat. Guided by Sabazios, befriended by his fellow time travelers, and maybe even falling in love, Alex starts feeling like the compound is a real home—until a rogue glide shows him the dangerous truth about his new situation.– Abstract from Goodreads
What You Hide by Natalie D. Richards
Expected: 4 December 2018
It’s set in a library! Mixed reviews again so we’ll just have to decide ourselves. #YA #mystery
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Spencer volunteers at the library. Sure, it’s community service, but he likes his work. Especially if it means getting to see Mallory.
Mallory spends a lot of time keeping her head down. When you’re sixteen and homeless, nothing matters more than being anonymous. But Spencer’s charm makes her want to be noticed.
Then sinister things start happening at the library. Mysterious symbols and terrifying warnings begin to appear, and management grows suspicious. Spencer and Mallory know a homeless teenager makes an easy target, and if they can’t find the real culprit soon, they could lose more than just their safe haven… – Abstract from Goodreads
Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak
Expected: 4 December 2018
Some mixed reviews on Goodreads but almost all reviewers describe this book as a twisty, suspense-filled read. #mystery
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Something happened to her mother that night. Something no one wants to talk about. But she’s determined to uncover her family’s dark secrets, even if they bury her.
Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn’t sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. And then there was that other sound–the ominous thump before all went quiet.
In the morning, her mother was gone. The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn’t sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn’t just difficult–he was deadly.
Now another traumatic loss forces Sloane to realize she owes it to her mother to find out the truth, even if it means returning to a small town full of secrets and lies, a jilted ex-boyfriend and a father and brother who’d rather see her silenced. But as Sloane starts digging into the past, the question isn’t whether she can uncover what really happened that night…it’s what will remain of her family if she does? – Abstract from Goodreads
Josephine Baker’s Last Dance by Sherry Jones
Expected: 4 December 2018
Excellent early reviews on Goodreads and many reviewers mention how well Sherry Jones has researched both the era and Josephine Baker herself. #HistoricalFiction
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Discover the fascinating and singular life story of Josephine Baker—actress, singer, dancer, Civil Rights activist, member of the French Resistance during WWII, and a woman dedicated to erasing prejudice and creating a more equitable world—in Josephine Baker’s Last Dance.
In this illuminating biographical novel, Sherry Jones brings to life Josephine’s early years in servitude and poverty in America, her rise to fame as a showgirl in her famous banana skirt, her activism against discrimination, and her many loves and losses. From 1920s Paris to 1960s Washington, to her final, triumphant performance, one of the most extraordinary lives of the twentieth century comes to stunning life on the page.
With intimate prose and comprehensive research, Sherry Jones brings this remarkable and compelling public figure into focus for the first time in a joyous celebration of a life lived in technicolor, a powerful woman who continues to inspire today. – Abstract from Goodreads
Deadfall by Stephen Wallenfels
Expected: 10 December 2018
With the storyline flashing between past and present Deadfall promises to be fast-paced and unputdownable. #YA #thriller
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Twin brothers Ty and Cory Bic are on the run. When they encounter a dying deer in the middle of a remote mountain road with fresh tire tracks swerving down into a ravine, they know they have to help. But when they reach the wrecked car the vehicle appears empty, with signs that the driver escaped.
Until they hear a sound coming from the trunk.
Ty and Cory are escaping demons of their own. But what they discover in the trunk puts them in the crosshairs of something darker and more sinister than their wildest nightmares. – Abstract from Goodreads
For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt
Expected: 11 December 2018
Another book with mixed early reviews. I have always been fascinated with courtroom themed stories and am hoping this one is going to live up to my anticipation. #mystery
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Till death do us part,
When they fell in love back in law school, Natalie and Will Clarke joked that they were so brilliant, together they could plan the perfect murder. After fifteen rocky years of marriage, they had better hope they’re right.
Their young son Jacob’s principal is accused of molesting a troubled student. It’s a horrifying situation—and the poison spreads rapidly. One night before bed, Jacob tells Natalie he is a victim, too. In that moment, her concept of justice changes forever. Natalie decides the predator must die.
To shelter Jacob from the trauma of a trial, Natalie concocts an elaborate murder plot and Will becomes her unwilling partner. The Clarkes are about to find out what happens when your life partner becomes your accomplice—and your alibi. – Abstract from Goodreads
This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher
Expected: 11 December 2018
This Lie Will Kill You is described as being a ‘page-turning thriller that exposes the lies the five survivors tell about a deadly night one year ago. This storyline has been done to death, but hoping this book will stand out. #YA #thriller
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One year ago, there was a party.
At the party, someone died.
Five teens each played a part and up until now, no one has told the truth.
But tonight, the five survivors arrive at an isolated mansion in the hills, expecting to compete in a contest with a $50,000 grand prize. Of course…some things are too good to be true. They were each so desperate for the prize, they didn’t question the odd, rather exclusive invitation until it was too late.
Now, they realize they’ve been lured together by a person bent on revenge, a person who will stop at nothing to uncover what actually happened on that deadly night, one year ago. – Abstract from Goodreads
The Fade by Demitria Lunetta
Expected: 11 December 2018
A mystery / paranormal story featuring a haunted house. To read on dark lonely nights – if you dare. #YA #mystery #paranormal
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We don’t want to disappear. We want to be found.
Something terrible happened in her basement. Haley can feel it.
Four girls went missing several years ago, and the police never solved the case. But Haley knows the missing girls were murdered. How else can she explain the hostile presence in her house?
The ghostly girls need something from her. And unless Haley can figure out what they want…she might be next. – Abstract from Goodreads
Hunting Annabelle by Wendy Heard
Expected: 18 December 2018
Hunting Annabelle has received high praise from early reviewers who describe it as ‘gritty’, dark and twisted’ I really hope this story helps to remove the stigma that blankets mental illness. #thriller #mentalhealth
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Sean Suh is done with killing. After serving three years in a psychiatric prison, he’s determined to stay away from temptation. But he can’t resist Annabelle–beautiful, confident, incandescent Annabelle–who alone can see past the monster to the man inside. The man he’s desperately trying to be.
Then Annabelle disappears.
Sean is sure she’s been kidnapped—he witnessed her being taken first hand—but the police are convinced that Sean himself is at the centre of this crime. And he must admit, his illness has caused him to “lose time” before. What if there’s more to what happened then he’s able to remember?
Though haunted by the fear that it might be better for Annabelle if he never finds her, Sean can’t bring himself to let go of her without a fight. To save her, he’ll have to do more than confront his own demons… He’ll have to let them loose. – Abstract from Goodreads
Half of What You Hear by Kristyn Kusek Lewis
Expected: 31 December 2018
Great early reviews who describe it as being a ‘fast-paced and intriguing mystery’ perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty (whose books you know I love) so can’t wait to read it. #mystery
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Greyhill, Virginia—refuge of old money, old mansions, and old-fashioned ideas about who belongs and who doesn’t—just got a few new residents. When Bess Warner arrives in town with her husband Cole and their kids, she thinks she knows what to expect. Sure, moving to Cole’s small hometown means she’ll have to live across the street from her mother-in-law, and yes, there’s going to be a lot to learn as they take over Cole’s family’s inn-keeping business, but Bess believes it will be the perfect escape from Washington. She needs it to be. After losing her White House job under a cloud of scandal, she hardly knows who she is anymore.
But Bess quickly discovers that fitting in is easier said than done. Instead of the simpler life she’d banked on, she finds herself preoccupied by barbed questions from gossipy locals and her own worries over how her twins are acclimating at the town’s elite private school. When the opportunity to write an article for the Washington Post’s lifestyle supplement falls into Bess’s lap, she thinks it might finally be her opportunity to find her footing here…even if the subject of the piece is Greyhill’s most notorious resident.
Susannah “Cricket” Lane, fruit of the town’s deepest-rooted family tree, is a special sort of outsider, having just returned to Greyhill from New York after a decades-long hiatus. The long absence has always been the subject of suspicion, not that the eccentric Susannah cares what anyone thinks; as a matter of fact, she seems bent on antagonizing as many people as possible. But is Susannah being sincere with Bess—or is she using their strangely intense interview sessions for her to further an agenda that includes peeling back the layers of Greyhill’s darkest secrets?
As Bess discovers unsettling truths about Susannah and Greyhill at large, ones that bring her into the secrets of prior generations, she begins to learn how difficult it is to start over in a town that runs on talk, and that sometimes, the best way to find yourself is to uncover what everyone around you is hiding…. – Abstract from Goodreads
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight
Wow, usually December is kind of slow, but not this year! So many books, and a few that are new to me but that I really do need to check out (looking at you, Deadfall!) The only December book I’ve read and loved so far is Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful, but it truly was fabulous. Thanks for sharing these!
crushingcinders
Thank you for the rec I totally missed Stronger, Faster and More Beautiful – will check it out. Happy holiday reading!
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
Thanks for sharing – I always miss some great book releases. I’m really excited to read Fire & Heist.
Happy readings! 😉
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
crushingcinders
Me too! Thank you for visiting.
Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra
I’m excited for so many of these titles! I just finished Once Upon a River and thought it was beautifully written.
crushingcinders
I can’t wait to start Once upon a River! Just bought a copy so my holiday is sorted!
ShootingStarsMag
For Better and Worse sounds like an intense one for sure!! I’m currently reading Hunting Annabelle and I really love it so far.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
crushingcinders
Thank you – so good to know Hunting Annabelle is as good as it sounds!