Jan 6

Jan 6 Books Publishing This Week

The morning after the New Year feels like the world has been lightly rinsed clean. Even if nothing physical has changed, the air seems a touch brighter, the sky a shade clearer, the light a little more hopeful. You wake with the sense of possibility pressing gently at the edges of the day, subtle but unmistakable. Outside your window, winter is still firmly in place—trees bare, frost edging the corners of the glass—but the first sunrise of the year casts everything in soft gold.

You move slowly, savoring the quiet. There’s no rush today. You brew your coffee or tea, inhaling the warm, familiar scent as steam curls toward the ceiling. The mug warms your hands as you carry it to your favorite morning spot—a corner by the window, a cozy nook on the sofa, or even your kitchen table bathed in winter sunlight. The world outside looks peaceful, rooftops dusted with frost, the street still quiet after last night’s celebrations.

Waiting on the table is the book you’ve chosen to begin the year with. It feels symbolic somehow—not heavy with pressure, but meaningful in a way only the first book of a new year can be. You pick it up, running a thumb along the spine, feeling the promise tucked between the pages.

You settle in, pulling a blanket around your legs, letting the warmth wrap around you. The light is gentle this morning, illuminating the pages before you even open the book. You take your first sip, let the warmth settle into your chest, and then finally open the cover.

The first lines greet you like a fresh start. You read slowly, letting the words land. The world around you is calm—the faint hum of the heater, the occasional creak of the house adjusting to the winter cold, the muffled quiet of the street. Everything feels softened, like the world is giving you space to begin again.

As you read, the story pulls you in. Characters emerge, settings form, and you feel yourself settling into the journey the book is offering you. The light grows brighter, stretching across the floor, catching the edges of the pages. You pause every so often just to look up, to breathe, to appreciate the stillness. It feels rare, this quiet, hopeful morning.

The story begins to take shape in your mind. You take another sip of your drink, savoring both the warmth and the moment. Outside, a few birds chirp—a small, surprising sign of life on a cold winter morning. You feel grounded, centered, ready for whatever comes next.

By the time you close the book to refill your mug, you’ve slipped far enough into the story to know it will be a companion to you in the days ahead. You feel lighter, somehow. Not because the year is different, but because you’ve allowed yourself this beginning—this gentle, unhurried moment of starting something new.

The morning after the New Year doesn’t need resolutions or declarations. It needs exactly this: warmth, quiet, a story to step into, and the soft, steady belief that beginnings can be simple and beautiful.

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Books Publishing January 4 - 10

She Took My Baby by Steena Holmes

As a nanny for the wealthy Eatons, Trina watches every day as Rosalind Eaton cradles the baby close. Trina’s baby. The sweet little boy won’t settle—he never does in Rosalind’s arms. It breaks Trina’s heart to see the tiny tears falling down his fat cheeks. His glossy hair is light auburn, and straight. Nothing like the Eaton family’s classic dark curls. Trina has been watching the Eatons for years. And what she knows about their dark past could be their undoing.

Rosalind isn’t coping. She isn’t sleeping and she’s barely eating. It is Trina who rocks the baby in the dead of night, whispering soothing words of comfort. Surely Rosalind is just one step away from slipping up and revealing the truth Trina is so certain of…Trina’s baby was stolen. And she’ll do anything to get her baby back.

Indestructible: Transforming Survival into Success by Rose Barroso

Barroso’s story is not one of privilege or easy breaks. Abandoned by those meant to protect her and raised in a shattered family, she learned early that survival meant building walls around her heart, around her dreams, around her very sense of self. But walls couldn’t silence the echoes of self-doubt, fear, and rage that lingered long after the bruises faded.

Indestructible rips the mask off a life built in defiance of deep trauma. With raw vulnerability and unapologetic strength, Barroso exposes the hidden scars of her childhood and reveals how pain shaped her, tested her, and ultimately forged her into a tenacious woman who conquered her inner demons—and the boardroom.

The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman

Blending the magic of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep, the bookish wonder of The Lost Bookshop, and the small-town ambiance of Rachel Linden, The Charmed Library invites you into a world where words come alive, secrets are steeped in magic, and lives are transformed one story at a time.

What happens when you open your heart to the stories waiting to be written?

Stella Parker is stuck. Stuck back in her childhood bedroom in the small town she grew-up in. Stuck between playing it safe and making a change. Stuck in heartbreak. As an assistant librarian, she's surrounded by her favorite things: words. But Stella has a secret: she can see words not just on the page but all around her--words that shimmer and flit like living things, carrying emotions and whispers of untold stories. For years, she's kept this gift hidden, scribbling fragments into notebooks, unsure of their purpose.

After a lifetime of seeing and hiding her words, Stella views her gift as a mere curiosity, filling countless notebooks with words, poetry, and unfinished stories that seem to insist on being penned. However, Stella's world is upended when she tosses a journal filled with love notes to her ex into the library's furnace. This impulsive act awakens a new kind of magic--words that surge through her with undeniable urgency and purpose. Suddenly, Stella begins to wonder: Could her gift help guide others to the stories they need most? Could these words hold the power to change lives--including her own?

Things get complicated when, after hours in the library, Stella encounters unusual visitors and stumbles upon the library's long-held secrets of magic. Her questions lead her deep into the library's hidden magic, where she discovers the extraordinary ability to bring fictional characters to life. As she navigates the chaos of keeping the library's secrets safe, managing an enchanting WWII soldier, an unexpected villain, and her own meddlesome brother, Stella finds herself on a journey of love, courage, and rediscovery.

With a hint of summer love, a journey of self-discovery, and the extraordinary power of words, The Charmed Library is a captivating exploration of life's possibilities when you dare to embrace the magic within.

The Star Society by Gabriella Saab

Author Interview with Gabriella Saab

Uncover the captivating tale of two extraordinary sisters in The Star Society, a thrilling historical novel that transports readers from the shadows of the Dutch Resistance to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Inspired by the indomitable spirit of Audrey Hepburn, this gripping story follows Ada and Ingrid as they reunite after World War II, embarking on a journey of justice, survival, and secrets amid the backdrop of the Red Scare in Hollywood.

A new name, a new country, and a coveted title as Hollywood's newest rising star: by 1946, actress Ada Worthington-Fox has discarded the life she left in war-torn Arnhem, where she worked for the Dutch resistance before Gestapo imprisonment prompted her to flee after release. But that life is thrust back into the spotlight when Ingrid--the sister she believed dead--shows up on her doorstep.

Politically-minded Ingrid escaped the Nazi invasion of Arnhem and fled to Washinton, D.C. where she became a private investigator. Now, she has been sent to root out communist influences in Hollywood. Her target: Ada Worthington-Fox, the sister she long thought lost to her. Ingrid must hide her true purpose as she shields Ada from sneaky reporters, damaging rumors, and increasing threats, all while fighting to uncover which side her sister is truly on before Ingrid's efforts to help her are too late.

Yet, Ada has her own mission: locating the Gestapo agent who terrorized her hometown and bringing him to justice. But delving into her past would risk alerting the press to a life too personal to expose. As the rising fear of communism threatens everyone, she turns to her sister, believing Ingrid's ties to Washington may be her only hope for success.

But the connections between Ada's elusive Nazi and Ingrid's communist witch hunt might be stronger than they realize. Both sisters share the darkest secret of all, one that risks their very lives if ever exposed. As they come closer to identifying Ada's target and as Ingrid's investigation intensifies, they will need to decide what is more important: justice or safety, keeping silent or taking a stand, and, above all, if their loyalty to one another is worth risking the post-war lives they've fought to build.

Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronika Dapunt

For fans of Sign Here and Benjamin Stevenson comes a darkly comedic, genre-bending murder mystery that follows a female-personified Death on sabbatical in London who must investigate a string of unplanned kills before the whole world is thrown into chaos.

Her job is to die for. Literally.

When most people think of Death, they picture a skeleton in a black potato sack. Maybe with a scythe. Truth is, she’s just a woman doing a job, and she’s very good at it. Still, even Death needs a break. But when she finally takes some time off to live on earth, things start to go terribly wrong. Someone is killing people not on her list (well, not yet anyway) and it’s up to her to find the killer before it’s too late.

To make matters worse, her sanctimonious sister Life – whom Death hasn’t gotten along with in millennia – won’t stop blaming her for the unplanned deaths . . . and then there’s the slight problem of the charming (and sexy) parasitologist she can't quite trust.

But she’ll be fine, right?

After all, who better to investigate a murder than Death herself?

Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet

Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann Krentz

New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz dives into an enthralling new romantic suspense novel filled with deeply entrenched grudges, psychic dangers, and a conspiracy that threatens not only two families but also the entire paranormal community.

The Harper and the Wells families have regarded each other with deep suspicion for four generations. The Harpers have been known to offer their psychic talents for less-than-legal purposes, and the powerful Wells clan has a reputation for playing both sides of the street. But for all the years of history and distrust between them, there is a mysterious pact binding the two. They share the responsibility for protecting a long-buried and very dangerous secret.

Sophy Harper and Luke Wells are shocked to learn that her aunt and his uncle have been sleeping together—and now they are both missing. Not only that, but the last traces of them are at the scene of a murder soaked in negative paranormal energy. Clearly, someone is willing to kill to obtain the secret their families have been charged with protecting. Despite their mutual distrust, which, as far as Sophy is concerned extends to Luke’s hellhound of a dog, they both know that the terms of the pact must be honored.

Their investigation uncovers a psychic trail leading to a bizarre desert art colony where nothing is as it seems. But Luke and Sophy are concealing a few secrets, too. By a strange twist of fate, a Harper and a Wells have no choice but to trust each other and the fierce attraction that is binding them as surely as the pact between the families.

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox

In this delightfully charming rom-com mystery, a woman becomes accidentally entangled in a murder investigation (and with a handsome stranger) when her fake detective agency is enlisted to solve a real homicide—from the bestselling author of the Pancake House Mysteries.

Emersyn Gray is definitely not a detective.

Really, she’s an unemployed twenty-eight-year-old raising her beloved niece in the only place she can afford after her ex-boyfriend ran off with her life savings: a run-down, seniors-only apartment complex that was desperate for tenants. But never fear—her wild best friend has the perfect plan to get Emersyn back on her feet and stick it to her thieving ex: scare him into returning her money by hiring a private investigator to prove he stole it. Only, there won’t be an actual detective, just a fabricated business card from Wyatt Investigations. . .and a ridiculously hot stranger who steps in to play the part—a stranger whose name is, coincidentally, Wyatt.

Emersyn can’t help but notice the real-life Wyatt is capital H-O-T hot, even though she’s wary of his intentions. But her ex does seem flustered, and if she can get her money back and regain control of her life, maybe it’ll finally prove to her parents that she can be a responsible caregiver to her niece.

But the day after they set their plan in motion, the superintendent of Emersyn’s apartment building winds up dead, and her neighbors turn to her fake detective for help after finding one of the phony business cards. With so many eyes on them—or maybe just their eyes on each other—Emersyn and Wyatt agree to take on the case. Now the question is: Can they solve the murder without getting tangled up in their own fictions—or each other?

The Right to Remain by James Grippando

In this thrilling novel from bestselling author James Grippando—the twentieth in his revered series—legendary criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck takes on a twisty, difficult case that becomes one of the most complex in his illustrious career.

Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck must contend with a unique problem. His client, Elliott Stafford, indicted for murder, has gone silent. Not just silent in asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination—Elliott refuses to speak. He won’t talk to the judge, his girlfriend, or even the attorney fighting for his life. There seems to be no medical or psychological reason for his silence. He has, as Jack puts it, “chosen to become his own worst enemy.”

To some, it’s an act of protest against a broken criminal justice system. Jack doesn’t buy it. Undeterred by the hoopla and calls to walk away, he keeps his client and tries his best to save Elliott from himself. As he digs for facts, Jack discovers a much more disturbing reason for Elliott’s silence. Virtually everything Elliott told Jack before the indictment is proving false, including Elliot’s criminal history, family turmoil, and secret past. As Jack plunges deeper, he comes to believe that Elliott isn’t trying to hide his own guilt. He may be protecting someone else—and the stakes could not be higher.

With plenty of courtroom action, scenes in which “Grippando’s years of experience shine brightest” (New York Times), The Right to Remain is one of the most thrilling entries yet in this hugely popular series that keeps going strong.

Watching Over Her by Jean-Baptiste Andrea

In an Italian monastery, a sculptor named Mimo lays on his deathbed. For decades, he has lived among the monks who watch over his masterpiece, an arresting statue that haunts all who see it.

During his final hours, he reveals his life story: his impoverished childhood, brutal apprenticeship, and, most important, his meeting with Viola Orsini, the only daughter of a powerful and dangerous aristocratic family. Mimo and Viola are instantly drawn to one another, viewing themselves as outsiders—Mimo, for his dwarfism, Viola for her ability to remember everything she has ever read or experienced. Together, they traverse the unrest of the twentieth century, from the rise of fascism to the violence of the world wars. While Mimo becomes a celebrated artist, Viola chases her own dreams of becoming an emancipated woman. Over the decades, they will lose and find each other time and again, but never will they give up on the love they share.

Immersive and full of heart, Mimo’s adventures are ribald and hilarious, challenging conventions of his day. Jean-Baptiste Andrea’s Prix Goncourt–winning novel has captivated audiences around the globe and is available to readers in English for the first time thanks to Frank Wynne’s wonderfully vivid translation.

Shattered Dreams by Natasha Madison

From USA Today bestselling author Natasha Madison, this new edition of Shattered Dreams—the first book in her popular Dream series—includes never-before-seen bonus content.

Montgavin Township will never be the same when one fateful night changes the lives of six people and sets them on a collision course for disaster …

Charlie

It was supposed to be a regular day out. Three couples celebrating the last days of summer. When tragedy struck.

I thought I was going to marry her. Instead, I was burying her.

I blamed the world for my pain. I buried it all. I became a man I didn’t even recognize.

Autumn

In a blink of an eye, everything changed. My best friend was gone, and I was responsible for it. I may not have been driving the truck, but I didn’t stop it.

Escaping the town was the only thing I could do to survive the guilt. I thought I was strong enough to go back. I was wrong.

One look from him and I knew I wasn’t welcome. But this is my home, and I wanted to come back. One night turned into more. But at the end of the day, I know he’ll never love me.

Besides, we all have shattered dreams.

Anneke Jans in the New World: A Novel by Sandra Freels

Author Interview with Sandra Freels

It’s 1630, and Anneke Jans has just arrived in the fledgling colony of New Netherland with her husband, Roelof, and their two young daughters to create a new life for herself and her family. One of very few women in the colony, Anneke quickly realizes that she will need to make her own rules if she is to survive.

When Roelof dies, Anneke marries Everardus Bogardus, the flamboyant minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. With this marriage, Anneke joins the elites of the colony—but when the colony’s new director provokes war with the region’s American Indians and her new husband emerges as the head of the anti-war opposition, she also finds herself in the midst of political turmoil. As difficulties mount, she must rely more than ever on her quick wits to protect herself and her growing family.

Based on real events, Anneke Jans in the New World tells the story of an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life.

16 Forever by Lance Rubin

It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way.

He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…

But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.

Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.

Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.

With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16?

Zenguin by Danna Smith, illustrated by Sydney Hanson

Learn about mindfulness and calm with the help of ZENGUIN! From New York Times bestselling illustrator Sydney Hanson comes a sweet and calming picture book that helps instill life skills in young readers with basic, age-appropriate concept learning. Penguin is anxious amidst the hustle and bustle of his busy colony. He wishes to feel calm inside, but he doesn’t know how! Thankfully, a few of his Antarctica friends teach him their strategies for finding inner peace. Before long, Penguin can use his own zen techniques to handle a stressful situation, earning him his new name – Zenguin!

Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz

Author Interview by Melissa de la Cruz

She’s a barmaid who doesn’t believe in fairy tales. He’s a prince cursed to live one.

Aren Bellamore has no interest in being anyone’s princess. She’s too busy running the Raven’s Beak tavern, fending off unwanted marriage proposals, and dreaming of escape. But when a brush with death and a dangerously handsome stranger upend her life, Aren finds herself bound to a bargain that could change everything.

Prince Dietan has carried the cursed Rings of Fate—ancient weapons of devastating power—since childhood. The magic is killing him, and the enemies are closing in. To make the journey to reverse his curse, he needs a bride to hide his secrets. Aren wants freedom. Pretending to be his fiancée should give them both what they want.

But as their perilous journey pits them against political schemes, monstrous Kilandrar, and a growing attraction neither can deny, the line between make-believe and destiny begins to blur. And the fate of two kingdoms may depend on whether a cynical barmaid and a cursed prince are willing to risk their hearts.

Perfect for readers who love the wit of The Princess Bride, the adventure of classic fantasy quests, and romances that balance danger with delicious banter.

Remember That Day by Mary Balogh

A soldier and a pacifist make the unlikeliest of pairs, but when passion sparks, there’s nothing that can prevent their love from igniting.

Winifred Cunningham, the adopted daughter of a portrait painter, hopes that her new close friend, Owen Ware, will soon ask for her hand in marriage. But when Owen introduces Winifred to his elder brother Nicholas, the late Earl of Stratton’s second son, the slow burn between them begins.

Nicholas is a cavalry colonel—a hardened soldier whom Winifred at first despises. She finds him intimidating and cruel-looking, while he finds her strange and startlingly forthright. During a summer at Ravenswood, however, Nicholas and Winifred are unwillingly thrown together on several occasions, until they realize the passion that drives their disagreements is not due to dislike—it is because of attraction.

Winifred still awaits Owen’s proposal, and Nicholas has made his intention to marry his commanding officer’s daughter quite clear. With allegiances to other marriage prospects and brotherly bonds at risk, not to mention the age difference between them, Nicholas and Winifred know it would be wholly improper to pursue a romance…

And yet, romance is irresistible. Perhaps even inevitable.

The Florentine Entanglement by Pamela Norsworthy

Art student Eleanor has been trapped in fascist Italy since the war began, forced to hide and camouflage her identity. Intelligence officer Talbot is captivated by her from the moment they meet. He believes he can overcome her pervasive melancholy over the dreams the war forced her to abandon.

They marry and return to the United States, where he joins the fledgling CIA and she struggles to settle into Cold War-era Washington DC, its rhythms and artistic sensibilities so unlike lyrical Florence.

As Talbot rises within the CIA, their marriage frays and he seeks attention from the string of young secretaries assigned to work for him. He blames his infidelity on Eleanor--her disinterest in him, her remote demeanor. But when a mission he oversees—the flight of a U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union—fails horribly, his unsavory behavior is exposed. His career and his freedom are suddenly in jeopardy. As his life unravels, Eleanor has a choice to make that may require her to expose far more explosive secrets of her own.

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