Books Publishing this Week
Books Publishing this Week: January 1 - 6
I want to note that I do not get paid to do these posts, I just love authors and the book industry. However, they do take time and energy to create. If you want to donate a few dollars to my coffee fund, which keeps this blog going, you can do so here: https://venmo.com/AshleyHasty or here: http://paypal.me/hastybooklist.
Imagine this:
On this crisp January morning, you find yourself nestled in the cozy corner of your favorite armchair, the soft glow of natural light streaming in through the frost-kissed window panes. Your hands eagerly grasp the spine of the brand-new book you acquired, its pristine pages promising an uncharted journey. As you crack open the cover, the faint aroma of freshly printed paper dances in the air, a fragrance that whispers of the unexplored worlds waiting within.
The author's words spill forth like a cascade of crystalline water, carrying you away to a place where time seems to slow. The tactile pleasure of the book in your hands, the slight resistance of each page turned, creates a comforting rhythm. The ambiance of the room, enhanced by the gentle hum of a distant heater and the occasional tap of a winter branch against the window, sets the perfect backdrop for this solitary exploration.
The January morning outside your window is a study in contrasts. The world beyond is bathed in a serene palette of muted grays and whites, a tranquil canvas that serves as a visual counterpart to the vivid landscapes painted by the author's prose. The characters come to life in your mind's eye, vividly etched against the backdrop of your imagination.
As you delve deeper into the narrative, the plot unfolds like a delicate tapestry, weaving together intricate threads of emotions and experiences. The author's mastery over language is evident in every carefully chosen word, creating a symphony of sensations that resonates within you. You can almost feel the chill in the air as characters traverse wintry landscapes or sense the warmth emanating from the fictional hearths that beckon them home.
Time seems to blur as you lose yourself in the narrative. Hours slip away unnoticed, and the world outside your reading cocoon becomes inconsequential. The clock's ticking fades into the background, replaced by the rhythmic turning of pages and the soft rustle of the book in your hands. It's a sanctuary of introspection, where the outside world holds its breath, and you are suspended in the embrace of another realm.
As the story unfolds, emotions become your companions. Laughter echoes through the room during moments of levity, and a quiet melancholy settles in your chest during more contemplative passages. The characters, once strangers, evolve into companions on this literary voyage. Their triumphs become your victories, their heartaches your sorrows.
The January morning advances, casting a shifting dance of shadows across the room. The winter sunlight, now more assertive, bathes the pages in a warm, golden glow. The journey through the book mirrors the changing light outside your window, a gradual transition from the quiet stillness of dawn to the more animated hues of midmorning.
As you approach the final chapters, a bittersweet anticipation settles in—a realization that this journey, this world you've inhabited for a January morning, is nearing its conclusion. The last pages turn, and you find yourself reluctant to part with the characters who have shared this intimate space with you. The book, now slightly worn at the edges, holds the memory of this morning, a testament to the immersive experience it offered.
In this quiet moment, the world outside your window remains unchanged, but within the pages of the book, you've undergone a transformative journey. You close the cover, the echo of the narrative lingering like a soft melody. The January morning has unfolded into a tableau of introspection, a serene interlude that has left an indelible mark on your soul.
Scroll down to find out what book you might be reading…
The Noom Kitchen by Noom, Inc.
Noom is a global phenomenon—their digital health and weight management program has helped millions lose weight and feel better by focusing on the psychology of food and behavior change. The Noom Kitchen—follow-up to Noom’s bestselling book The Noom Mindset—offers spectacularly delicious recipes that make serving health-forward foods easy for cooks of all skill levels. The majority of the recipes focus on using “green foods”, nutritionally dense ingredients that fill you up without weighing you down. With selections like Saucy Pizza-Stuffed Chicken Breast, Spinach & Feta “Hot Pockets,” and Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, The Noom Kitchen applies Noom’s trademark approach to nutrition to help readers:
-Put a healthy twist on favorite foods like french fries, pizza, and dessert
-Cook meals and snacks designed to be portable and storable so you can eat well on-the-go
-Learn new techniques for boosting the nutrient density [and decreasing the caloric density] of any meal
These recipes will appeal to dedicated Noom users and new readers alike, providing accessible culinary guidance for anyone looking to kick-start their health and wellness in the kitchen.
The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer
From celebrated artist, legal counterfeiter, and award-winning author Jonathan Santlofer comes THE LOST VAN GOGH (Trade Paperback; Jan. 2, 2024), a spellbinding thriller of masterpieces, masterminds, and the mysterious underbelly of the art world. In this highly-anticipated sequel to The Last Mona Lisa, Santlofer turns his attention to one of the most revered artists of all time, spinning a riveting tale based on rumors that Van Gogh completed a final self-portrait before his death, one that has since been lost to time—or the black market.
The finished book will also feature original sketches and replicas drawn by Jonathan Santlofer.
In THE LOST VAN GOGH, Santlofer re-introduces readers to Luke Perrone, hero of The Last Mona Lisa and a descendant of the man who stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911. Along with his girlfriend—daughter of a notorious art thief—and an INTERPOL agent, Luke must navigate the shadiest corners of the underground art world to track down Van Gogh’s notorious death-bed self-portrait. What he discovers is a consequential history that traces the journey of the painting back to World War II, when agents of the French Resistance protected it from destruction by the Nazis.
A perfect companion to celebrated true crime explorations on the topic, such as The Art Thief, THE LOST VAN GOGH is an immersive escapade into the underbelly of the art world, as told by a rare and singular talent in the world of crime fiction.
Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
Raine Hart is used to the challenges of living with ADHD. It’s why she ditched her life in Boston to busk around Europe as a traveling musician. No boss. No schedule. No one to disappoint but herself. But when a careless mistake in Ireland leaves her unable to perform, she sees no other option but to give up her nomadic life.
Since inheriting the Local, Jack Dunne has wanted to make the pub his own. But the baggage of running a family business and the intrusive thoughts that stem from his OCD make changing things a challenge.
Over a pint with handsome, tattooed Jack, Raine accidentally insults him and the pub. Instead of taking offense, Jack is impressed by her vision of what the pub could be and offers her a job bringing it to life.
But when Raine and Jack develop feelings for one another their opposite lifestyles won’t accommodate, it becomes clear the pub isn’t the only thing that needs reinventing. As the end of their business collaboration draws near, they’ll have to find a way past the limits they’ve placed on themselves or let go of a love that could last a lifetime.
Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble
Since her police-officer husband Eric’s mysterious murder, Carly Harris has been struggling to support herself and their infant son. Her career as an antique dealer isn’t sustainable, nor is her dream of becoming a novelist. So when her grandmother proposes she and her two sisters restore the family’s large Beaufort home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, she immediately gets to work clearing out the house. In the process, she uncovers a family secret that Eric kept hidden. And an heirloom that the wrong person wouldn’t hesitate to kill for.
Homicide detective Lucas Bennet isn’t his neighbor’s biggest fan, not since she broke his brother’s heart years ago. But when Carly turns to Lucas for help, believing she’s found a lost Fabergé egg that would be worth millions and that could put her family’s lives in danger, he can’t help but get involved. Soon, they’re entangled in a mystery with threads that lead all the way to the Russian mafia. Lucas has gotten in deep, and while he trusts his ability to keep Carly and her family safe, he begins to realize he’s vulnerable to an unexpected kind of danger. And he’s helpless to stop the freefall. As they continue working closely together, Carly and Lucas realize they may have found something more precious than gold. Yet it’s only a matter of time before Carly—or, worse, someone she loves—gets hurt.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Evie Porter has everything a nice Southern girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence, and a fancy group of friends. The only catch? Evie Porter doesn’t exist.
Coming in January 2024, FIRST LIE WINS (Pamela Dorman Books; On Sale: 1/9/24)—the adult debut from Ashley Elston—is a stylish and twisty thriller, already in development as a Hulu series by Octavia Spencer and Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff. The early buzz is fantastic – Lisa Gardner calls it “some of the best cat and mouse suspense I've read in years,” and Megan Miranda raves, “FIRST LIE WINS is a high-stakes thriller that brilliantly explores identity and love, truth and deception. Smart and sharp, fast-paced and twisty, this book kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the very last.”
The identity always comes first: Evie Porter. There’s a disguise, a fabricated background, some sob story to explain why she doesn’t like to talk about her past. Once she’s given a location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.
Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. Evie can’t make any mistakes, especially after what happened last time, but things are about to go haywire anyway. Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean—her real identity, the one she’d hoped to return to someday—just walked right into town. Evie must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn’t be higher… but luckily, she’s always been up for a challenge.
Just Happy To Be Here by Naomi Kanakia
In this YA standalone perfect for fans of Tobly McSmith and Meredith Russo, the first out trans girl at an all-girls school must choose between keeping her head down or blazing a trail.
Tara just wants to be treated like any other girl at Ainsley Academy.
That is, judged on her merits—not on her transness. But there’s no road map for being the first trans girl at an all-girls school. And when she tries to join the Sibyls, an old-fashioned Ainsley sisterhood complete with code names and special privileges, she’s thrust into the center of a larger argument about what girlhood means and whether the club should exist at all.
Being the figurehead of a movement isn’t something Tara’s interested in. She’d rather read old speeches and hang out with the Sibyls who are on her side—especially Felicity, a new friend she thinks could turn into something more. Then the club’s sponsor, a famous alumna, attacks her in the media and turns the selection process into a spectacle.
Tara’s always found comfort in the power of other peoples’ words. But when it comes time to fight for herself, will she be able to find her own voice?
Mister Hockey by Lia Riley
Jed West is Mr. Hockey: the captain of the NHL’s latest winning team and the hottest player on the ice—at least, according to Breezy Angel, who’s been drooling over Jed at games for years. He plays a starring role in her most toe-curling fantasies. But dirty dreams don’t come true, right?
Everything changes when Jed saunters through the doors of Breezy’s library as a last-minute special guest for a summer reading event. Their chemistry is immediate and hot enough to thaw an entire rink in record time.
But things grow complicated when Breezy decides to hide the fact that she’s Jed’s biggest fan. After all, her feelings for him are genuine, so who has to know? She’s not the only one with secrets, though, and Jed’s could change the course of his career forever.
Can this hockey hotshot and quirky bookworm find the courage to be honest with each other or will their love story be over before it can truly begin?
