Diverse and Progressive Winter Releases

woke up like this readers prepare

What makes a Woke Up Like This reader type? Is it their march for progression? Their desire to diversify their own perspective? Or maybe it's the drive to create a more loving and safe society that accepts all identities? In truth, it's all of the above, and this winter's new release books have it all. LGBTQ+ novels and romances, BIPOC perspectives, underrepresented communities, and more! With our list of the best diverse and inclusive new releases your march towards a brighter future can continue from the comfort of your own home this winter!

february new releases

Cleavage: Men, Women, and the Space Between Us

by Jennifer Finney Boylan

What is the difference between men and women? Jennifer Finney Boylan, bestselling author of She's Not There and co-author of Mad Honey with Jodi Picoult, examines the divisions--as well as the common ground--between the genders, and reflects on her own experiences, both difficult and joyful, as a transgender American.

Jennifer Finney Boylan's She's Not There was the first bestselling work written by a transgender American. Since its publication twenty years ago, she has become the go-to person for insight into the impact of gender on our lives, from the food we eat to the dreams we dream, both for ourselves and for our children. But Cleavage is more than a deep dive into gender identity; it's also a look at the difference between coming out as trans in 2000--when many people reacted to Boylan's transition with love--and the present era of blowback and fear.

How does gender affect our sense of self? Our body image? The passage of time?

The Bones Beneath My Skin

by Tj Klune

A spine-tingling standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune--a supernatural road-trip thriller featuring an extraordinary young girl and her two unlikely protectors on the run from cultists and the government.

There's nothing more human than a broken heart.

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his only brother wants nothing to do with him, and he's been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington, DC.

With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family's summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon, to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It's not.

At Dark, I Become Loathsome

by Eric Larocca

From Eric LaRocca--Bram Stoker Award-nominated and Splatterpunk Award-winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke--comes At Dark, I Become Loathsome, a grim yet gentle, horrifying yet hopeful, intense tale of death, trauma, and love.

"If you're reading this, you've likely thought that the world would be a better place without you."

A single line of text, glowing in the darkness of the internet. Written by Ashley Lutin, who has often thought the same--and worse--in the years since his wife died and his young son disappeared. But the peace of the grave is not for him--it's for those he can help.

Hungerstone

by Kat Dunn

A Rolling Stone 10 Most Anticipated Books of the Year - A Town & Country Must Read Book of the Winter - A Goodreads Readers' Most Anticipated Horror Novel of the Year - A LitHub Most Anticipated Book of the Year - A Book Riot Most Anticipated Book of the Year - A Them 10 Most Anticipated Books of the Year - A Polygon Most Exciting Fantasy Book of the Year - A Scary Mommy 11 Most Anticipated Books of the Year

A compulsive feminist reworking of Carmilla, the queer novella that inspired Dracula.

"Hungerstone is a delicious tribute to the inherent horrors of womanhood and the desperate and exquisite vulgarity of desire. This is everything I dream of in a novel." --Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Lady Macbeth

It's the height of the industrial revolution and ten years into Lenore's marriage to steel magnate Henry, their relationship has soured. When Henry's ambitions take them from London to the remote British moorlands to host a hunting party, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into their lives. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night. Carmilla, who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger . . .

Shoot the Moon: A Rainey Hall Mystery

by Ava Barry

Private investigator Rainey Hall stumbles into a dark mystery from her past that embroils her with an underground society of artists, a dangerous new drug, and a string of violent deaths.

While in high school, Rainey spent a summer taking advantage of the wildfires near Los Angeles to break into the empty houses of the rich and famous with her best friends, Alice and Spencer, committing small acts of larceny. These acts of rebellion culminated in a big theft from a powerful, well-connected musician with underworld ties. Days later, Alice went missing.

Now--nine years later--Rainey is a private detective chasing a missing person case. Chloe, a young vulnerable artist with a history of substance abuse, disappeared from her parents' house without a trace.

I Think They Love You

by Julian Winters

"A brilliant rom-com debut from one of my favorite authors! This book will stay with you like a last kiss goodnight." - Ashley Poston, New York Times best-selling author of The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip

With his funny, big-hearted adult rom com debut, bestselling, award-winning YA author Julian Winters shows sometimes fake dating your ex can turn into a second chance.

When Denzel "Denz" Carter's workaholic father and CEO of 24 Carter Gold unexpectedly announces his retirement, the competition is on for who will become his successor. To convince his family members that he's capable of commitment, Denz impulsively lies about being in a serious relationship.

Now Denz needs to find a fake boyfriend to seal the deal on the CEO position. Denz is forced to turn to the last person he wants to be in a pretend (or any) relationship with: Braylon, the man who broke his heart.

january new releases

How to Sleep at Night

by Elizabeth Harris

"By turns insightful, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, How To Sleep at Night is a delight."-- J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times Bestselling author of Friends and Strangers

"This wonderful debut is about the rough and tumble road that true love represents for all of us." --James McBride, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

"This debut sparkles with wit and insight. I found myself laughing and gasping in equal measure. A true testament to the complexities of modern relationships--this book is a must-read for anyone who's ever wondered how to bridge the gap between who we are and who we aspire to be." --Dolly Alderton

A witty and whip-smart novel about love, marriage, and family ties stretched thin by ambition.

Meet Ethan and Gabe. A devoted couple for years, they have successful careers, an adorable daughter, and a house in the New Jersey suburbs. Sure, they may have drifted to different ends of the political spectrum, but their marriage still has its spark. Then one night Ethan makes an announcement: he wants to run for Congress as a Republican--but only if he has progressive Gabe's blessing.

Motheater

by Linda H Codega

In this nuanced queer fantasy set amid the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, the last witch of the Ridge must choose sides in a clash between industry and nature.

After her best friend dies in a coal mine, Benethea "Bennie" Mattox sacrifices her job, her relationship, and her reputation to uncover what's killing miners on Kire Mountain. When she finds a half-drowned white woman in a dirty mine slough, Bennie takes her in because it's right--but also because she hopes this odd, magnetic stranger can lead her to the proof she needs.

Mothers and Sons

by Adam Haslett

A mother and son, estranged for years, must grapple with the shared secret that drove their lives apart in this enthralling story about family, forgiveness, and how a fleeting act of violence can change a life forever, by "one of the country's most talented writers" (Wall Street Journal)

At forty, Peter, an asylum lawyer in New York City, is overworked and isolated. He spends his days immersed in the struggles of immigrants only to return to an empty apartment and occasional hook-ups with a man who wants more than Peter can give. But when the asylum case of a young gay man pierces Peter's numbness, the event that he has avoided for twenty years returns to haunt him.

Ann, his mother, who runs a women's retreat center she founded after leaving his father, is hurt by the estrangement from Peter but cherishes the world she has built.

Murder in the Dressing Room

by Holly Stars

A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag's not just dramatic, it's deadly.

By day, Joe is a hotel accountant, invisibly sitting behind their desk and playing by the rules. By night, donned in sequins, they take to the stage as Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene.

Single Player

by Tara Tai

Two video game creators go head-to-head in this delightful, queer enemies-to-lovers workplace romance debut, perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Helen Hoang.

Cat Li cares about two things: video games and swoony romances. The former means there hasn't been much of the latter in her (real) life, but when she lands her dream job writing the love storylines for Compass Hollow--the next big thing in games--she knows it's all been worth it. Then she meets her boss: the infamous Andi Zhang, who's not only an arrogant hater of happily-ever-afters determined to keep Cat from doing her job but also impossibly, annoyingly hot.

As Compass Hollow's narrative director, Andi couldn't care less about love--in-game or out. After getting doxxed by internet trolls three years ago, Andi's been trying to prove to the gaming world that they're a serious gamedev.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

by Kate Fagan

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins in this electric, voice-driven debut novel about an elusive bestselling author who decides to finally confess her true identity after years of hiding from her past.

Cate Kay knows how to craft a story. As the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that struck box office gold as a film series, she's one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, Cate Kay doesn't really exist. She's never attended author events or granted any interviews. Her real identity had been a closely guarded secret, until now.

The Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf

by Isa Arsén

Two Shakespearean actors in an unconventional marriage get caught up in a renowned director's scheme that will bring them closer than ever or rip them apart for good.

Up-and-coming stage actress Margaret Shoard has just taken a bow as Lady Macbeth, the role she has always believed was destined for her. At home, she plays wife to her best friend Wesley, even if she doesn't hold his sole attention romantically.

DECEMBER NEW RELEASE BOOKS

The Shutouts

by Gabrielle Korn

A brilliant queer dystopian novel from the author of Yours for the Taking, following a cast of characters on the margins of a strange and exclusive new society.

The year is 2041, and it's a dangerous time to be a woman driving across the United States alone. Deadly storms and uncontrollable wildfires are pummeling the country while political tensions are rising. But Kelly's on the road anyway; she desperately needs to get back to her daughter, who she left seven years ago for a cause that she's no longer sure she believes in.

Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet

by Samantha Allen

One of Town & Country's Best Ghost Books That Will Keep You Up All Night - One of Book Riot's 2024 Books to Add to Your TBR - A Nerd Daily and LGBTQ Reads Most Anticipated Release

In this "unlikely romance for the ages" (Camryn Garrett), a ghostwriter is handed the gig of a lifetime, except there's a catch: the client, a closeted A-list actor finally ready to come out in his memoir, is an actual ghost--and the sparks flying between the men are becoming a little too real . . .

Adam Gallagher has knocked on thousands of doors. An ex-Mormon and almost-famous memoirist, he is used to sharing his life story with strangers. But this day, this house, is different. For it belongs to none other than Roland Rogers: Hollywood Hunk, and soon to be author. Roland has a story to tell, a decades-old secret to spill, and he's decided that Adam is just the guy to help him do it.

Except there's a problem. Roland Rogers is dead. Not in the metaphysical realm--if he focuses, he can summon enough energy to communicate via the kitchen speaker--but certainly in the physical, and he needs Adam to pen his story before his body is found frozen beneath the avalanche of snow that squashed it. That means one month, a hundred thousand words, no breaks.

Something Extraordinary

by Alexis Hall

From the author of Boyfriend Material comes the absurdist adventure of two friends determined to avoid marriage to unsuitable people as they race through Regency England to marry each other instead.

Sir Horley Comewithers isn't particularly interested in getting married, especially when his match is a perfectly respectable young woman. Sir Horley is, after all, extravagantly gay. But he's resigned to a fate there's no point resisting--until a dear friend does it for him.

Arabella Tarleton has no interest in romance, but even she can see that Sir Horley's nuptials are destined to end in a lifetime of misery. Well, not on her watch. And what are friends for, if not abducting you on the night before your wedding in an overdramatic attempt to save you from a terrible mistake?

Private Rites

by Julia Armfield

From the BELOVED, AWARD-WINNING author of Our Wives Under the Sea, a speculative reimagining of King Lear, centering three sisters navigating queer love and loss in a drowning world

"One of my FAVORITE NOVELS of the past few years." --Jeff VanderMeer, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author of Annihilation

It's been raining for a long time now, so long that the land has reshaped itself and old rituals and religions are creeping back into practice. Sisters Isla, Irene, and Agnes have not spoken in some time when their father, an architect as cruel as he was revered, dies. His death offers an opportunity for the sisters to come together in a new way. In the grand glass house they grew up in, their father's most famous creation, the sisters sort through the secrets and memories he left behind, until their fragile bond is shattered by a revelation in his will.

I Might Be in Trouble

by Daniel Aleman

A suspenseful dark comedy about a struggling writer who wakes up to find his date from the night before dead--and must then decide how far he's willing to go to spin the misadventure into his next big book.

A few years ago, David Alvarez had it all: a six-figure book deal, a loving boyfriend, and an exciting writing career. His debut novel was a resounding success, which made the publication of his second book--a total flop--all the more devastating. Now, David is single, lonely, and desperately trying to come up with the next great idea for his third manuscript, one that will redeem him in the eyes of readers, reviewers, the entire publishing world...and maybe even his ex-boyfriend.

But good ideas are hard to come by, and the mounting pressure of a near-empty bank account isn't helping. When David connects with a sexy stranger on a dating app, he figures a wild night out in New York City may be just what he needs to find inspiration. Lucky for him, his date turns out to be handsome, confident, and wealthy, not to mention the perfect distraction from yet another evening staring at a blank screen.

After one of the best nights of his life, David wakes up hungover but giddy--only to find prince charming dead next to him in bed. Horrified, completely confused, and suddenly faced with the implausible-but-somehow-plausible idea that he may have actually killed his date, David calls the only person he can trust in a moment of crisis: his literary agent, Stacey.

Together, David and Stacey must untangle the events of the previous night, cover their tracks, and spin the entire misadventure into David's career-defining novel--if only they can figure out what to do with the body first.

The Resurrectionist

by A Rae Dunlap

In the tradition of The Alienist and Anatomy: A Love Story, a decadently macabre, dark and twisty gothic debut set in 19th century Scotland - when real-life serial killers Burke and Hare terrorized the streets of Edinburgh - as a young medical student is lured into the illicit underworld of body snatching.

Historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia intertwine in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine for readers of Lydia Kang, ML Rio, Sarah Perry, and C.E. McGill.

Portrait of the Medical Student as a Young Body Snatcher

Yet I must insist that in the end, this is not a story about Death. It is perhaps a Life story, or even--yes--a Love story. It is the story of how I clawed my way from the decay of a crumbling legacy into the modern era of Reason and Science. It is the story of how I escaped the prison of archaic superstition to the freedom of enlightenment. It is the story of how a rose can blossom from even the bloodiest soil, of how light can grow from shadow, how love can grow from despair.

This, dear reader, is the story of my Resurrection.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city's university offers everything James desires--except the chance to work on a human cadaver. For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon's Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin "Nye" MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist's eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves--but it doesn't take long for James to realize he's made a devil's bargain . . .

Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice. Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists--the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.

James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it's cold-blooded murder . . .

Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction in a rollicking tale of the risks and rewards of scientific pursuit, the passions of its boldest pioneers, and the anatomy of human desire.

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