12 Must-Read Books Coming Out This December
December’s here.
You know what that means?
Time to grab a Christmas cookie and spiked egg nog and curl up next to the Christmas tree with a good book.
If you’re like me, your To Be Read pile is already a teetering tower that threatens to collapse. Well, you’d better sure up the sides and figure out a way to add to it, because there’s a plethora of tempting books hitting shelves this month.
Check out the December new releases that we’re most excited about here at Drink. Read. Repeat.
The Good Samaritan
by John Marrs
Release Date - December 1, 2017
Genre – Thriller
One of the lead characters in this John Marrs novel has, arguably, the most difficult job ever – working at a suicide hotline (Called – in rather poor taste, if I might add – The End of the Line). But, for Laura, this job isn’t as emotionally taxing as it might be for some. Instead of hoping her callers make it through to see brighter days, she actually hopes that they don’t. She secretly delights in the fact that they are worse off than she is (so, basically, Laura is a vicious bitch).
All comes crumbling down for her (as, I mean, it really fucking should) when Ryan – a man whose pregnant wife ended her life while holding hands with a strange man – begins to ask questions.
Dark and disturbing, this John Marrs novel promises to be full of questions of right and wrong.
What Remains True
by Janis Thomas
Release Date - December 1, 2017
Genre – Thriller
Very little can fracture a family as completely as losing a child.
The Davenports, the central family in this Janis Thomas novel, discover this for themselves when five-year-old Jonah is killed.
As the family tries to come to terms with how this loss has redefined their family dynamic and dramatically changed their future, they all struggle individually with their own demons.
Through the use of multiple points of view, the novel aims to fully dissect this struggling family, member by member, offering a difficult but rich look at loss, guilt and forgiveness.
Elmet
by Fiona Mozley
Release Date – December 5, 2017
Genre – Literary Fiction
I fucking hate change – so Elmet, a novel that is all about change – and how difficult it can be to handle – is a logical one to add to my TBR.
This Man Booker Prize finalist takes its name from the portion of Yorkshire in which it is set and centers around a family that is happily living off the land and enjoying the beauties of nature. All of this is threatened when landowners invade upon their space and throw everything into a state of upheaval.
The debut for author Fiona Mozley, this novel explores the rigors and repercussions of electing to live outside of modern society.
Foolish Hearts
by Emma Mills
Release Date - December 5, 2017
Genre – Young Adult
Contemporary retellings of Shakespearean tales pretty much kick ass.
Doubt me? Would you care to borrow my VHS of “Ten Things I Hate About You” or my dog-eared copy of Sharon Draper’s Romiette and Julio?
This Emma Mills work joins the rank of creative reimaginings of Shakespearean tales, bringing the comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream to life in a contemporary high school.
Full of social drama, high school caste systems and, of course, more than a little bit of romance, this book promises to make the lessons Shakespeare imparted in his original work relevant and relatable for a whole new generation.
The Vanishing Season
by Joanna Schaffhausen
Release Date - December 5, 2017
Genre – Thriller
Ellery Hathaway is an expert in serial killers (which is pretty much the scariest fucking thing to be an expert in TBH). Though she works as a police officer, it wasn’t through on-the-job training that she developed her knowledge of these ritualistic murderers. Instead, Ellery learned firsthand.
Though no one in Woodbury knows (because it’s not the kinda thing you just drop into casual conversation) Ellery was actually the 17th victim of a notorious serial killer – and the only victim to survive the encounter.
While she would have hoped that all this was behind her, pretty much anyone who has ever read a thriller knows that, obviously, it isn’t. As people start disappearing from her town annually, each time right around her birthday, she knows it can’t be a coincidence.
And she also knows that she has to do something about it.
This winner of the Minotaur Books Mystery Writers of American Crime Novel competition pretty much sounds like nightmare fuel. #SleepingWithTheLightsOn
One Station Away
by Olaf Olafsson
Release Date - December 5, 2017
Genre – Literary Fiction
I love books and movies about zombies (Don’t get it twisted, this book isn’t about zombies…I’m just making a point).
So, anyways, I love books and movies about zombies because I feel like putting characters in these situations of extreme peril (and by extreme I mean someone is going to eat your fucking brains) really exposes the fibers of human character.
This Olaf Olafsson work does the same – digging deep into three female characters and exploring who they are while also exposing the often invisible gossamer threads that connect humans in intricate and complex relationships.
On a side note, I’m digging the minimalist vibe of this cover – because I do judge a book by its cover. Because ALL LOGICAL PEOPLE judge books by their damn covers.
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
by Tamsyn Murray
Release Date - December 5, 2017
Genre – Young Adult
This Tamsyn Murray novel has two protagonists – Jonny (the spelling of which I find more infuriating than I should) and Neve.
Jonny has spent an inordinate amount of time hooked up to machines awaiting a donor heart (and, really, any amount of time spent hooked up to machines that are fucking keeping you alive is an inordinate amount of time). When a heart is found, it seems all but certain that Jonny’s life will take a turn for the better.
Unfortunately for Neve, the heart Jonny is to receive previously belonged to his twin brother, Leo.
As fate would have it, the same event that vastly improved Jonny’s life – the death of Leo – has quite the opposite effect on Neve.
The naturally compelling premise paired with promise of rich characters makes this new release a likely winner.
Over Us, Over You
by Whitney G.
Release Date - December 7, 2017
Genre – New Adult
A spicy departure from my usual reading list – but one I am happy to undertake – Over Us, Over You by Whitney G. promises a rather risqué romantic escape.
The plot is simple – A girl falls for her older brothers’ best friend.
Obviously, this simple plot is ripe with the promise of conflict.
Add to that the saucy, sexy interludes, sure to appeal to fans (or closet fans) of Fifth Shades of Gray, and you have an easy, fuss-free escape from the rigors and realities of daily life.
The Truth Beneath the Lies
by Amanda Searcy
Release Date - December 12, 2017
Genre – Young Adult Thriller
When you’re a teen, everything feels like it’s life and death, but for one of the girls in The Truth Beneath the Lies it actually is that fucking serious.
In this debut novel Amanda Searcy introduces readers to not one, but two, powerful yet struggling teen girls.
Both have layers of complexities that make them rich and authentic, and make learning about them as you move through the prose as intriguing as it is enjoyable.
Increasingly, young adult authors are writing strong female characters (thanks for that, BTW), and in this novel we see two strong female characters collide with consequences that, at least for one of them, will prove disastrous.
Three Sides of a Heart:
Stories about Love Triangles
by Natalie C. Parker
Release Date - December 19, 2017
Genre – Young Adult
Anthologies were an acquired taste for me.
Years of formal education and forced reading filled my mouth with a bad taste for these collections, as the prose and plots of the ones to which I was often exposed were drier than the tissue-thin paper on which they were printed.
That changed when I discovered the YA anthology My True Love Gave To Me – Full of heart and hilarity, and featuring works by some of my favorite YA authors (I’m lookin’ at you, Rainbow Rowell) this book showed me that there is a place on by bookshelves for anthologies.
Three Sides of the Heart is the newest rendition of this tune. Featuring stories by established YA authors about love triangles (and, really, what’s more naturally compelling than that?) this anthology promises to pack a punch and, hopefully, convert even more anthology haters in the process.
Here, There, Everywhere
by Julia Durango and Tyler Terrones
Release Date - December 19, 2017
Genre – Young Adult
Young love is not for the faint of heart – particularly when that love blossoms in a small town that basically everyone is eager to leave.
In this co-authored novel, readers are introduced to Zeus, a teen who was recently dragged kicking and screaming from bustling Chicago to sleepy Buffalo Falls. At first, Zeus is pretty sure his summer is going to suck.
Enter Rose.
Obviously, Rose is an incredible, charming, stunning, intelligent girl who will turn it all around for him (Yeah, it’s formulaic, but it’s a good formula, so roll with it).
As the summer progresses, Zeus grows increasingly infatuated with Rose.
The problem (because of course there is a problem) Rose wants to get her ass out of Buffalo Falls A-sap.
Obviously, this puts a bit of a wrinkle in Zeus’ happily ever after.
Though, do teen love affairs ever end in happily ever after anyways? No… not really… but they still have to have them. They are like training relationships… Work out the kinks before the stakes are high.
The beauty of this book isn’t really in its plot (because, as aforementioned, it’s pretty typical) but instead in the richness of these two characters and the authentic representation of their burgeoning affection for each other.
The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily
by Laura Creedle
Release Date - December 26th 2017
Genre – Young Adult
Fate – or, actually, detention – brings Lily and Abelard together. Outwardly, it would seem that the assignment of detentions on the same day is all these two have in common. Lily struggles with her ADHD and, as a result, always feels like she’s ahead of the crowd. Abelard suffers from (a truly unfortunate name, and) an autism spectrum disorder, so he’s always a little bit behind.
Surprisingly (and a bit too serendipitously, really, but I’ll let it slide) they discover that they share a passion for ancient love letters (because that’s a totally normal thing for teens to love. Well…actually…when I was a teen I collected decorative soaps, so who the fuck am I to judge?)
In this Laura Creedle novel, she dissects this unlikely romance, delves deeper into who Lily and Abelard as are individuals, and explores what this perfect storm of differences and similarities means for their romantic future.
You know, come to think, maybe the reason my adolescent love life was non-existent… Didn’t serve enough (really, any) time in detention…Or it could be the soap collecting. Yeah, it was probably the soap collecting.
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