January Fiction Releases You Need to Pre-Order Immediately

Celebrate the upcoming new year by pre-ordering a few incredible books! Check out our recommendations.

Anastasia Ledyaeva –
Fantasy Historical Fiction Recommendations Thriller & Mystery Young Adult
A blurred background with a glowing sparkler going off on the left and two book covers outlined with a golden glow on the right. The left book cover reads “Water Moon” in white text and features the illustration of a purple night sky reflected onto a sea. The right book cover reads “Mask of the Deer Woman” in white text and features a red field in which a woman stands, outlined by large deer antlers.

As January sweeps in to start the upcoming year, newly released titles in both YA and adult fiction follow. Both freshly debuting and seasoned authors are about to put their latest best work to the test before their audiences — from books of mythological historical fiction to ones of futuristic magical realism. Although this list is far from all-encompassing, it might just help you figure out where to begin your New Year’s reading list, so check out the recommendations below for must-read January releases!

Trigger Warning: This article includes an allusion to racially motivated violence in a work of literature. Reader discretion is advised.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

Egypt, 1936: When Charlotte Cross, an anthropology student, accepts the opportunity to shadow an archaeological dig in the Valley of Kings, it seems as if a lifelong dream has finally come true for her. That is, until a horrific tragedy strikes, leaving Charlotte with a vow never to return to Egypt again. New York City, 1978: Annie Jenkins receives the opportunity of a lifetime when chosen to become the personal assistant for Vogue’s Diana Vreeland and to help organize the year’s Egyptian artifact-inspired MET Gala.

A book cover featuring a golden, glowing museum building with a black night sky full of stars above it. The translucent turquoise outline of an ancient Egyptian person hovers in the sky, overlaid with large gold text that reads "The Stolen Queen," followed by small white text that reads "New York Times Bestselling Author" and large white text that reads "Fiona Davis."
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However, when one of the rarest pieces of the night is stolen, she finds herself caught in chaos and must enlist Charlotte’s help to figure it out. The truth of the theft awaits them in Egypt — but if rumors are to be believed, so does an ancient curse.

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

On a backstreet in Tokyo, a magic pawn shop buys strangers’ deepest regrets. The morning after her father’s retirement, however, Hana Ishikawa wakes to discover the shop she inherited has been ransacked and stolen from, and her father is nowhere to be found. Instead, she finds a charming stranger at the door who calls himself Keishin and offers his help — and Hana has no choice other than to accept it.

A book cover featuring the illustration of a blue and purple night sky reflected onto a sea. A grey moon hovers in the sky, partially concealed by thick clouds, small birds, and large glowing buildings. The sea reflects a different set of glowing buildings and has origami boats floating across it. Vertically, the large white text reads "Water Moon" in the center of the illustration, with smaller yellow text that reads "Samantha Sotto Yambao" to the left of it.
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Now, stepping into a land of unfamiliar magic, Hana and Keishin must put aside their fears and trust one another with precious secrets, but those secrets can never be taken back. As they get closer to the truth of Hana’s father’s disappearance, lines and choices blur, and Hana realizes everything she thought she knew is no longer so certain.

Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias

Carina Marshall is on the run from her past, and an au pair job at a prestigious household in Jamaica feels like the escape that she’s been looking for. On the surface, the Blackbead House is a paradise of opulent parties, glamorous scenery, and new beginnings — but, as Carina soon discovers, the estate isn’t quite what it seems. Something strange haunts the Blackbead House and is beginning to haunt her, and even worse, Carina’s troubled history is catching up to her.

A book cover featuring a large mansion surrounded by dark greenery, vivid red and purple flowers, and hovering bees. A woman in a dress stands in the glowing red doorway of the estate, which is surrounded by golden, dripping text that reads "Honeysuckle and Bone," followed by smaller purple text that reads "Trisha Tobias."
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As events spiral into inexplicable connections, Carina and Aaron — her new, handsome, and possibly only friend — must face the secrets of the Blackbead House before it’s too late to save one another. Paradise has its costs, Carina realizes, but she may not be ready to sacrifice them.

Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove

Sinking in grief following the death of her daughter, detective Carrie Starr takes the lifeline of becoming tribal marshall of her father’s childhood reservation in hopes of finding a home. However, there is no peace to be found for Starr, who is directed to investigate cold cases of missing young women, many of whom may have suffered the same fate as her recently murdered daughter. When a local college student goes missing, the clues start to become all too familiar, and Starr finds herself following a trail of corruption to find the reservation’s missing girls — whether alive or dead.

A book cover featuring a dark red sky and field with converging clouds and a blue moon on the horizon. A woman with long hair and a jacket stands in the field, looking forward at large deer brown antlers that conceal the sky. The large white text above the woman reads "Mask of the Deer Woman," followed by smaller text that reads "Laurie L. Dove."
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Yet, as Starr continues to investigate, a creature from her father’s stories begins haunting her: a woman with the antlers of a deer. Starr doesn’t know if the woman has come to guide her or seek vengeance, but she knows she must do for the missing women what she couldn’t for her daughter — save them.

Mark your calendars, readers, and add these books to your pre-order list before it’s too late! Trust us — you won’t regret it.

To look back on the previous month’s fantastic titles, check out The Best New Picks for December 2024 Fiction.

Find these titles, and all upcoming releases, over on Bookstr’s Bookshop!

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