The Best New Book Releases Out December 17, 2024
Man, we’re out here losing recipes. We’ve lost yet another literary giant—someone who, as Rebecca Joines Schinsky points out, was so iconic that she became famous, even as a poet. Kelly Jensen wrote up a great summary of her life here, while I offered up some more BIPOC poets that continue on her legacy.
There is good news, though. The New York Public Library and the University of Pennsylvania released their findings on the effects public libraries have on community health and well-being. Since you’re on a site called Book Riot, you probably already figured out that the study showed just how very important a role libraries can play in supporting communities. Thing is, this study is kind of the first of its kind to officially study the role of libraries in this capacity. And, it’s coming when the attack on libraries is at an all-time high.
Now for the new—there’s a new sequel in the translated Detective Galileo series that is set in Japan (Invisible Helix by Keigo Higashino, translated by Giles Murray), and the New York-set literary mystery series that follows Claudia Lin (The Rivals by Jane Pek).
Over in YA land, there’s Visitations by Corey Egbert, a graphic novel that explores growing up in the Mormon church and mental illness, and Spell of the Sinister by Danielle Paige, a retold tale of two magical sisters.
The new books featured below feature an icy, Finnish folklore-filled romantasy, a young woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders in 1960s Alabama, and a girl just trying to make it after becoming sober.
Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson
A year ago, Emma dreamed of the perfect life that waited for her at the end of a long journey towards sobriety. Now, 52 weeks/365 days later—after keeping her head down and focusing on her job, and even after not dating for all this time—it’s all starting to hit the fan. Her mom’s got a new boyfriend she’s moving in with, her raggedy father pops out of the blue with ultra bad news, she’s got to plan her office’s holiday party, and dating super sucks. But at least there’s Ben, the IT guy, who is actually charming, even when confronted with Emma’s awkwardness. Our girl, though? She’s going to have to delve into some past relationship nastiness, take things slow, and learn to open up a bit. Definitely Better Now obviously deals with some heavy stuff, but don’t be fooled—it does also feature the occasional dark little jokey-joke.
Untethered by Angela Jackson-Brown
In Alabama, against the backdrop of a changing South and the Vietnam War, one woman bears the weight of the world on her shoulders. Katia’s twin brother has gone missing after being sent to war, her father has died, and so she alone has taken on the responsibility of looking after her other brothers and her mother…as well as the kids at the Pike County Group Home for Negro Boys. Maybe that’s why she sinks into a relationship with an older man, which has her questioning herself. But she questions herself even more once Seth comes back into her life, and with him fond memories of high school and simpler times. Now she’ll have to choose: her current, burdensome life, or some other iteration.
North Is the Night: The Tuonela Duet by Emily Rath
A lot of this new romantasy—with its cold setting and old European ways that are being threatened by Christianity—sounds like The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, the first book in a series I devoured one winter. It is a little different, though. For one, it has Finnish folklore, compared to Arden’s book’s Russian, and there is also a journey to the underworld. Our protagonist, Siiri, journeys there to save her friend Aina, who was dragged there by a death goddess. Question is, is Siiri a match for the underworld, or even the perilous journey it’ll take to get there?
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner
We love a YA graphic novel, and this has the added bonus of being both historical and queer (and inspired but Jane Austen, for the Austen devotees). In it, George is just trying to live, but society keeps getting in the way. They’ve just inherited their failing family estate, for one, and for two, they have to keep their habit of dressing in men’s clothes a secret lest their family name be ruined. And third, they really like their bestie, Eleanor. Now, Eleanor, on the other hand, has always thought to do everything “right,” but when a new suitor appears, she finds that she really only wants to spend time with George, and maybe she needs to reconsider what “right” really means to her.
A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya
If you like it when a romance is set on Hard Mode, this YA romantasy full of Mexican history features a vampire huntress and a vampire *insert eyebrow wiggle*. The huntress, Carolina Fuentes, has always wanted to protect her pueblo by hunting the monsters that threaten it, but her father wants her to marry and move away. It’s when she’s set out to proove her aptitude lies more with slaying baddies rather than making a home that she meets a vampire that has her questioning everything…
Lala Villalobos was the oldest son, destined to carry on the family business and be a traditional family man. But then he’s attacked, turned into a monster, and made to leave his city. He’s since heard of a place up north where the first vampire was made. If he can make it there, he may be able to reverse the curse. Of course, before he gets there, he runs into a young woman who slays in more ways than one.
Mechanize My Hands to War by Erin K. Wagner
Stories involving AI have been at the forefront lately, but have you seen one that takes place in Appalachia? Well, the Appalachia in Mechanize My Hands to War isn’t too fond of the spreading technology, which leads to distrust, and, as usual, someone is there to take advantage. Local demagogue Eli Whitaker molds the anger and anxiety of workers being replaced by robots into a militia—that eventually starts recruiting child soldiers. Adrian and Trey are sent to stop him, but they have their own history with him as a child, and things are complicated when an AI soldier shoots a kid while it’s trying to protect Trey. And, just to make things even more complicated, farmers Shay and Ernst end up relying on android employees after crop failings and a deadly sickness settle in.
Other Book Riot New Releases Resources:
- All the Books, our weekly new book releases podcast, where Liberty and a cast of co-hosts talk about eight books out that week that we’ve read and loved.
- The New Books Newsletter, where we send you an email of the books out this week that are getting buzz.
- Finally, if you want the real inside scoop on new releases, you have to check out Book Riot’s New Release Index! That’s where I find 90% of new releases, and you can filter by trending books, Rioters’ picks, and even LGBTQ new releases!
