I cannot believe that December is just around the corner, and with it the end of 2018 draws nearer. To round out the year we have a number of releases being published, many of them next-in-series for series that I haven’t read, which has thankfully made my list for December shorter than usual. That just means my holiday list is mostly made up of backlist titles, woo hoo!
As always, if I have read the title I will include a link to my review, and clicking on the title will bring you to Goodreads.
Source: Playbill on Tumblr
✨✨ December 1 ✨✨
Rapid Falls by Amber Cowie
Thriller, Mystery
Forgive and forget? The past and present collide for two sisters who survived a tragedy—and must now survive the truth behind it.
It’s been twenty years since Cara’s boyfriend died in a horrible accident and her sister, Anna, went to prison. The tragedy has become a local legend, but Cara has moved past her grief to have a successful career and a happy family. Pity about Anna. Recently released from incarceration, she’s struggling with addiction, guilt, and shame—a shattered life. Cara’s forgiveness seems to be the only thing that helps her pick up the pieces.
But as Anna pulls herself together, her memories of that night on the bridge start to come into focus. And few of them match her sister’s.
As past secrets unfold and nothing is what it seems anymore, Anna desperately searches for the truth. But what if Cara doesn’t want her to find it?
✨✨✨
Waypoint by Deborah Adams and Kimberley Perkins
Young Adult, Science Fiction
How far will they go to restore the power?
It’s been lights-out for three months and society is already falling into chaos.
Teenage tech-genius Simon Harper and his team of fellow gamers have been searching for the cause of the outage since it went down. Simon and his twin brother West are often at odds, but when the key to restoring power drops into their hands, they’ll risk everything and join forces to bring it back.
Descend into an epic, young adult adventure, featuring family and friendship with a heart-skipping side of romance by debut authors Deborah Adams and Kimberley Perkins.
Mysterious deaths and disappearances are piling up, and unknown enemies are everywhere. As the brothers make their 500-mile journey to Waypoint they’ll have to decide who they can trust, and which secrets can be told.
✨✨ December 4 ✨✨
Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst
Young Adult, Fantasy, Dragons
In Sky Hawkins’s family, leading your first heist is a major milestone–even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It’s a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you’re a wyvern–a human capable of turning into a dragon.
Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family’s wealth and rank in their community.
With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society–a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.
✨✨✨
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
Fantasy, Historical Fiction
A dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the Thames. The regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open on an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a little child.
Hours later the dead girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life.
Is it a miracle?
Is it magic?
Or can it be explained by science?
Replete with folklore, suspense, and romance, as well as with the urgent scientific curiosity of the Darwinian age, Once Upon a River is as richly atmospheric as Setterfield’s bestseller The Thirteenth Tale.
✨✨ December 18 ✨✨
The Disasters by M.K. England
Young Adult, Science Fiction, LGBT
Hotshot pilot Nax Hall has a history of making poor life choices. So it’s not exactly a surprise when he’s kicked out of the elite Ellis Station Academy in less than twenty-four hours.
But Nax’s one-way trip back to Earth is cut short when a terrorist group attacks the Academy. Nax and three other washouts escape—barely—but they’re also the sole witnesses to the biggest crime in the history of space colonization. And the perfect scapegoats.
On the run and framed for atrocities they didn’t commit, Nax and his fellow failures execute a dangerous heist to spread the truth about what happened at the Academy.
They may not be “Academy material,” and they may not get along, but they’re the only ones left to step up and fight.
✨✨ December 31 ✨✨
Kingdom of Needle and Bone by Mira Grant
Horror, Science Fiction
We live in an age of wonders.
Modern medicine has conquered or contained many of the diseases that used to carry children away before their time, reducing mortality and improving health. Vaccination and treatment are widely available, not held in reserve for the chosen few. There are still monsters left to fight, but the old ones, the simple ones, trouble us no more.
Or so we thought. For with the reduction in danger comes the erosion of memory, as pandemics fade from memory into story into fairy tale. Those old diseases can’t have been so bad, people say, or we wouldn’t be here to talk about them. They don’t matter. They’re never coming back.
How wrong we could be.
It begins with a fever. By the time the spots appear, it’s too late: Morris’s disease is loose on the world, and the bodies of the dead begin to pile high in the streets. When its terrible side consequences for the survivors become clear, something must be done, or the dying will never stop. For Dr. Isabella Gauley, whose niece was the first confirmed victim, the route forward is neither clear nor strictly ethical, but it may be the only way to save a world already in crisis. It may be the only way to atone for her part in everything that’s happened.
She will never be forgiven, not by herself, and not by anyone else. But she can, perhaps, do the right thing.
We live in an age of monsters.
Are any of these books on your TBR? Have you read any of them yet? What are some of the December releases that you cannot wait to get your hands on?
Let’s go on another adventure together!
I’m highly anticipating The Disasters as well! As soon as I found out it was a heist in space I added it to my tbr. I haven’t heard about Kingdom of Needle and Bone before, but it sounds amazing and since I really like the other Mira Grant book I read this year, I’m definitely adding this one to my tbr. Great post! 💛
SAME! The Disasters gives me all the best heist vibes and I am essentially here for it. I just got approved for an arc of Kingdom of Needle and Bone on NetGalley and am so excited to read it!
it’s amazing that you got an arc of Kingdom of Needle and Bone, I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you so much, and me too! Looking forward to dive in soon!
I’ve heard mixed reviews of Once Upon A River… but Fire & Heist sounds intriguing!
I haven’t seen any reviews of Once Upon a River yet, although I do tend to avoid them when I have an arc so I don’t have my opinion ‘tainted’. Hopefully I enjoy it!
I really enjoyed Fire and Heist! I want to check out Waypoint, I keep seeing it on lists!
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed Fire & Heist, that one looks SO GOOD
It was a solid 4 star for me.
Ooo YES that is awesome! Can’t wait!!!
Fire & Heist and Kingdom of Needle and Bone are both on my list😁
I was just approved for Kingdom of Needle and Bone on NetGalley, and I am so excited!
Ooooh, Kingdom of Needle and Bone looks amazing!! Will definitely be adding that too my list to read over Christmas… early present to myself? 🙂
I think that definitely is a great present to give yourself!!!
Oh Rapid Falls sounds so good from that description! I have been reading so many Thrillers lately that I almost don’t remember the last time I read something different so might have to put this one aside for next year.
I know what you mean about reading a lot of the same genre, I get stuck in those ruts too. Thrillers are so wonderful on chilly days for me, and I need to pick one up soon I think. Happy reading something different!
I haven’t heard of half of these, but they do sound interesting!!
I know most of these books haven’t been hyped from what I have seen, which is SHOCKING!
Kal. kAl. KaL. KAL. This creepy face greeted me first thing and I’m just why. 😂
ANYWAYS. Waypoint looks GOOD. Also imagine if we did go lights out – mass chaos and no more Discord to mess with Sam and everyone else there (more like lack thereof for there are more lurkers than chatters).
Also stop adding books to my TBR. THAT’S TWO MORE BOOKS. Cruelty. kthxbye.
I had to combat you cleaning up your TBR by recommending more books, soorynotsorry! Just wait until the January post, muahahahahaha
😭😭😭😭 I hate you 😭😭😭😭
You love me and you know it.
Never. 😤
Now had I not heard about Fire & Heist until now!? It sounds amazing! Wonderful post, love! I’ll definitely be adding a few of these to my tbr! 🤗
I knowwww, I feel like I haven’t seen any of these books getting buzz! Thanks so much, Kelly and happy reading!
Oooh I haven’t heard of Once Upon a Rive until now! That sounds sooooo good!
It does, doesn’t it?! It is going to be my next read and I am super excited about it.
Just yesterday, I read a review of Once Upon a River by one of favourite bookstagrammer and since then I am hooked. It really sounds intriguing.
Oh that is so exciting, and makes me even more hyped to read the arc! It’s next up on my to-read pile.
I hadn’t heard of any of these, Once Upon a River sounds marvelous though – definitely adding it to my TBR! Thank you for this list. 🙂
You’re welcome, and happy reading!
I have really been slacking on releases for the rest of 2018 (my eyes are already set on 2019), so none of these books were on my TBR. But, I just added Fire and Heist and Once Upon a River to my list to (hopefully) read at the end of this year/beginning of next. I am a complete sucker for heist books and movies, so I cannot believe that I hadn’t heard of Fire and Heist. Thankfully, your list corrected that mistake. Thanks for sharing!
I know, it is hard to not just skip on over to 2019 with so many amazing titles coming up… January is going to ruin my bank account. I want more heist books in my life and have high hopes for Fire and Heist! Thanks for stopping by, Tessa!
Ohh, none of thoses were on my tbr; but Rapid falls seems good and half interrested in once upon a river.
Half interested, that is a mood right there! I am going to try to start Once Upon a River tonight so I can aim to get a review up before its release!
Oh, i didn’t know these! Waypoint and Disaster sound pretty awesome 🙂
I know, it is weird that December releases don’t have much buzz around them!!!
I almost requested Once Upon a River on NetGalley but didn’t. I hope you love it! 💜
Thank you, and me too! I picked it up a few days ago but sadly I am just not in the mood for it right now.
OKAY THAT GIF AT THE BEGINNING MADE ME ALMOST SPIT MY SPRITE OUT! I CAN’T STOP CACKLING. ALSO IM IMPATIENTLY WAITING FOR THE DISASTERS TO BE RELEASED BECAUSE IM SPACE TRASH. WOW WHAT A TIME. ALSO THIS WHOLE COMMENT IS GONNA BE IN CAPS BECAUSE WOW THE ANTICI…PATION WAS A FRIDAY SETTER. OKAY BYE
BAHAHAHAAH every single month I use that gif and then start singing songs from RHPS. It brings me an intense amount of joy. I need the Disasters in my life right NOW