Books Publishing this Week
Books Publishing this Week: November 26 - December 2
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Imagine this: On a chilly November weekend, you find yourself drawn to the cozy warmth of your favorite reading nook. The air outside carries a distinct crispness, prompting you to seek refuge indoors, where the soft glow of lamplight beckons. With a steaming cup of your preferred hot beverage in hand, you settle into a plush armchair, ready to embark on a literary adventure.
The book in your hands is a new acquisition, its cover promising a world yet unexplored. The scent of fresh pages mingles with the comforting aroma of your hot drink, creating a sensory symphony that enhances the anticipation. The cover feels cool beneath your fingertips, inviting you to turn the first page and immerse yourself in the unknown.
As you open the book, the first lines unfold like a welcoming embrace. The author's words are a gentle caress, guiding you into a narrative that unfolds against the backdrop of a vividly described setting. With each paragraph, you are transported, your surroundings fading away as you become enmeshed in the characters' lives and the world they inhabit.
The November weekend outside seems to fade into the background, replaced by the atmospheric ambiance created by the author's prose. The characters become companions, their struggles and triumphs echoing in the quiet of your reading sanctuary. The ticking of the clock becomes a distant murmur as time slows down, allowing you to savor each word, each sentence, and each chapter.
The soft rustle of turning pages accompanies your journey through the story, a gentle cadence that mirrors the rhythm of your heartbeat. The characters come to life in your mind, their voices resonating with authenticity. You find yourself rooting for them, empathizing with their challenges, and celebrating their victories. The book becomes a portal, transporting you to a realm where reality and fiction intertwine seamlessly.
Outside, the November winds may howl, and raindrops may tap against the windowpane, but within the cocoon of your reading nook, you remain untouched. The warmth of the room contrasts with the coolness of the season, creating a harmonious balance that enhances the reading experience. The world outside may be in motion, but in this moment, you are suspended in the timeless embrace of a captivating narrative.
As you delve deeper into the pages, the outside world becomes a distant memory. The characters become your companions, and their journey unfolds in synchrony with the turning of the clock hands. The muted colors of November transform into a kaleidoscope of emotions, painted by the author's skillful prose. You laugh with the characters, share in their sorrows, and revel in the beauty of their discoveries.
The fire in the fireplace crackles, casting a gentle glow that dances across the room. The warmth envelops you, creating a sense of sanctuary that enhances the pleasure of reading. The book in your hands becomes a treasure, a key to unlocking new realms and perspectives. In the solitude of your reading nook, you find solace, inspiration, and a respite from the demands of the external world.
As the final chapters unfold, a bittersweet awareness tugs at you. The journey with the characters is nearing its end, but the impact of their story lingers. You close the book with a satisfied sigh, a feeling of fulfillment settling within you. The November weekend outside may continue its course, but within the pages you've explored, a timeless connection has been forged—one that will linger in the sanctuary of your reading nook, ready to be revisited whenever you seek refuge in the magic of a good book.
Scroll down to see what book you might be reading.
The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper
A botanical illustration of a butterfly. A missing baby. And a twisted mystery fifty years in the making.
1868, Morpeth. Theodora Breckenridge, still in mourning after the loss of her parents and brother at sea, is more interested in working quietly on her art at the family’s country estate than she is finding a husband in Sydney society, even if her elder sister Florence has other ideas. Theodora seeks to emulate prestigious nature illustrators, the Scott sisters, who lived nearby. She cannot believe her luck when she discovers a butterfly never before seen in Australia. With the help of her maid Clarrie and her beautiful drawings, Theodora is poised to make a scientific discovery that will put her name on the map. Then Clarrie’s newborn son goes missing and everything changes.
1922, Sydney. When would-be journalist Verity Binks is sent an anonymous parcel containing a spectacular butterfly costume along with an invitation to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball the same day she loses her job at The Arrow, she is both baffled and determined to attend. Her late grandfather, Sid, an esteemed newspaperman, would expect no less of her. At the ball she lands a juicy commission to write the history of the Treadwell Foundation, an institution that supports disgraced young women and their babies. As she begins to dig, her research quickly leads her to an increasingly dark and complex mystery—a mystery fifty years in the making. Can she solve it? And will anyone believe her if she does?
The Butterfly Collector is USA TODAY bestselling author Tea Cooper at her best.
The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor
From USA Today-bestselling Jillian Cantor, THE FICTION WRITER follows a mid-list writer hired by a handsome billionaire to write about his family history with Daphne du Maurier and finds herself drawn into a tangled web of obsession, marital secrets, and stolen manuscripts.
Last night I dreamt I went to Malibu again…
The once-rising literary star Olivia Fitzgerald is down on her luck. Her most recent novel--a re-telling of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca--was a flop, her boyfriend of nine years just dumped her, and she’s battling a bad case of writer’s block. So when her agent calls her with a high-paying ghostwriting opportunity, Olivia is all too willing to sign the NDA.
At first, the write-for-hire job seems too good to be true. All she has to do is interview Henry “Ash” Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice-named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, who wants her help in writing a book that reveals a shocking secret about his late grandmother and Daphne du Maurier. But when Olivia arrives at his Malibu estate, nothing is as it seems. Ash is hesitant to reveal any family secrets, and he seems more interested in her than their writing project. The more Olivia digs into his grandmother’s past, the more questions she has—and before she knows it, she’s trapped in a gothic mystery of her own.
With as many twists and turns as the California coast, The Fiction Writer is a captivating story exploring the boundaries of creative freedom and whose stories we have the right to tell.
A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley
Calladia Cunnington curses the day she met Astaroth the demon, but when he shows up memoryless, why does she find him so helpless . . . and sort of hot?
Calladia Cunnington knows she’s rough around the edges, despite being the heir to one of small-town Glimmer Falls’ founding witch families. While her gym obsession is a great outlet for her anxieties and anger, her hot temper still gets the best of her and manifests in bar brawls. When Calladia saves someone from a demon attack one night, though, she’s happy to put her magic and rage to good use . . . until she realizes the man she saved is none other than Astaroth, the ruthless demon who orchestrated a soul bargain on her best friend.
Astaroth is a legendary soul bargainer and one of the nine members of the demon high council—except he can’t remember any of this. Suffering from amnesia after being banished to the mortal plane, Astaroth doesn’t know why a demon named Moloch is after him, nor why the muscular, angry, hot-in-a-terrifying-way witch who saved him hates him so much.
Unable to leave anyone in such a vulnerable state—even the most despicable demon—Calladia grudgingly decides to help him. (Besides, punching an amnesiac would be in poor taste.) The two set out on an uneasy road trip to find the witch who might be able to restore Astaroth’s memory so they can learn how to defeat Moloch. Calladia vows that once Astaroth is cured, she’ll kick his ass, but the more time she spends with the snarky yet utterly charming demon, the more she realizes she likes this new, improved Astaroth . . . and maybe she doesn’t want him to recover his memories, after all.
A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home by Melissa Dilkes Pateras
Everything you need to know about laundry, cleaning, and basic home repairs—from the TikTok star who not only taught us how to fold a fitted sheet, but explained bluing and how to properly use your caulk (gun).
Melissa Dilkes Pateras is the most competent housekeeper/DIY-project master/home repair genius that you’ve ever fantasized about being. Once she followed her kids onto TikTok and began sharing her years of knowledge, she found a community eager for her approachable, often tongue-in-cheek advice on everything from balls—dryer balls, that is—to why color-coded closets are a spiritual experience. In A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home, she steps off TikTok and onto the page to take us through organizing, cleaning, laundry, repairs, and beyond. Along the way, she shares strategies, tips, and tricks for keeping house, and reminds you that you’re not supposed to know what you were never taught. She doesn’t care about transforming our homes into minimal, beige Instagram posts; she simply wants to help make your life easier, whether you’re terrified of your laundry pile or feel that you have an inner handyperson who’s been longing for their moment.
A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home is Melissa's all-purpose housekeeping guide, filled with practical skills grounded in joyful living and written in the cheeky, approachable voice she's known for. As she says: "For some reason I'm famous for folding laundry." Now you, too, can feel like the ruler of your own kingdom—because your home doesn’t need to feel like your adversary.
The Last Love Note by Emma Grey
Emma Grey follows Kate, a strong, vibrant, and vulnerable woman, as she grapples with wanting to live life to the fullest and find love again after the tragic death of her husband. Marking her adult fiction debut, Grey began writing the novel in the wake of her husband’s sudden death from a heart attack in 2016—leaving her a widow at age forty-two with a five-year-old son—in an attempt to articulate the magnitude of her loss. Along with capturing the complexity of grief, Kate’s story affirms the healing power of hope and the possibility of embracing romance and happiness while honoring the memory of a beloved spouse.
When we first meet Kate, two years after losing Cam, she’s striving to be an excellent single mother while spearheading an ambitious fundraising campaign for climate change research at the university where she works—and doing her best to not break down when pressures collide with a wave of grief. To complicate matters, there’s Grace, her matchmaking-obsessed best friend, and her mother, who keeps nagging her to take better care of herself. Fortunately, Kate hasn’t lost her sense of humor. And she can always depend on Hugh, her incredibly patient and supportive boss.
Despite childcare qualms and donor anxieties, Kate is looking forward to attending a conference with Hugh. When an in-flight problem leaves them stranded for a weekend on the east coast of Australia, she finally has a chance, away from her son, to come to terms with life without Cam, and see what’s right in front of her. But can Kate risk her heart a second time? When it becomes clear that Hugh is hiding a secret, Kate turns to the trail of scribbled notes she once used to hold her life together. The first note captured her heart. Will the last note set it free?
Confronting the difficult subjects of terminal illness, untimely death, and grief with sensitivity and genuine emotion, both sorrow and laughter, THE LAST LOVE NOTE is ultimately a testament to the resilience of the human spirit—and the triumph of love.
To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn
Britannia meets The Mist―with a touch of Evil Dead―in this illusory fantasy horror about a kingdom left to darkness…
Jude Maddox knows nothing of love or even light. He knows only his grim duty as the Hand of Death, to lead the Knights of the Eternal Star into a land filled with nightmares and certain demise. It’s only when he sees her―a young woman with wild, amber eyes who’s as fierce, defiant, and swift as the shadow beasts themselves―that he feels the warmth of life in his blood…
The other Knights may fear their lethal commander, with his hard, merciless demeanor. Outcast Kiara Frey sees only a leader, a man who knows how to survive. Someone like her. But wanting him is as treacherous as the shadows themselves…and just as seductive.
With a kingdom on the verge of collapse, the Knights must now venture into the darkest heart of the land and uncover the secrets of the misted shadows, where evil will prey upon their minds and feast on their flesh.
It will betray their senses.
It will surpass their nightmares.
Most of them will die.
But they have no other choice. Because the only way to fight the darkness…is to become it.
Balancing Act by Emily March
Return to Lake in the Clouds, Colorado!
Genevieve Prentice is learning that reinventing herself is a bit like downsizing a house. Deciding what to keep and what needs to go gets complicated. After settling into life in Lake in the Clouds, Colorado, with her sister’s help, she’s finally finding her balance. But Genevieve’s newfound steadiness is threatened when her daughter Willow unexpectedly arrives carrying a mountain of emotional baggage.
Willow Eldridge needs a fresh start, but that can’t happen until she comes clean about her family’s secrets. Thankfully, between caring for her two young children and planning her brother’s wedding, Willow has plenty of reasons to delay the uncomfortable heart-to-heart with her mother. Yet when Willow grows close to her kind but standoffish neighbor and suspects he is keeping secrets of his own, she realizes there’s no moving forward without facing what came before…
Can Genevieve and Willow jettison the pain of the past to create the future they so desperately crave? Beneath the crystal blue skies of Lake in the Clouds, anything seems possible.
A Glooming Peace This Morning by Allen Mendenhall
Set in the heart of the 1970s and in the fictional Southern town of Andalusia, "A Glooming Peace this Morning" unveils the unforgettable story of Tommy Cox, a young man with an intellectual disability, and Sarah Warren, the charming belle of high society. Their fateful encounter is anything but ordinary: a mysterious illness draws them together, sparking an illicit romance that will set an entire town ablaze. As their love flourishes in the shadows, a heated trial ensues, forcing the community to confront its prejudices and biases. At its core, the case hinges on one critical question: could Tommy have formed the intent required by law to be found guilty of the charges against him? In the midst of this legal battle, Cephas, the narrator recalling these childhood events, and his friends—Lump, Brett, and Michael—are faced with the daunting task of reconciling their knowledge of Tommy and Sarah's intimate relationship with their own beliefs about justice, truth, lust, and love. Only a few know what really happened–but the truth can never truly be buried.
When We Were Enemies by Emily Bleeker
Two women, generations apart, in the spotlight. A powerful novel about family secrets, devastating choices, and hope for the future.
Camera-shy Elise Branson is different from the other women in her matriline. Her mother is an award-winning actress. Her late grandmother, Vivian Snow, is a beloved Hollywood icon. But when Elise’s upcoming wedding coincides with a documentary being made about Vivian, Elise can’t escape the camera’s gaze. And even in death, neither can her grandmother.
It’s 1943 when Vivian, a small-town Indiana girl, lends her home front support to the war effort. As a translator in the nearby Italian POW camp, she’s invaluable. As a celebrated singer for the USO, she lifts men’s spirits and falls in love with a soldier. But behind this all-American love story is a shocking secret—one vital to keep buried if Vivian is to achieve the fame and fortune she covets.
For Elise and Vivian, what’s hidden—and what’s exposed—threatens to unravel their lives. The heart-wrenching choices they must make will change them both forever.
