Literairyland: Nov. 28-Dec. 4, 2023

This week's new books, writer bdays, and more.

Author

Nicholas Barron
November 28, 2023

This Week In Books

Welcome to Literairyland, your list of this week's new books and writer birthdays. Subscribe today and get Literairyland in your inbox every Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday!

Today is the release date for Nnedi Okorafor's latest novel, Like Thunder (Amazon | Bookshop). Kirkus called the book "an emotional near-future novel that will keep readers turning pages even as their mountain of questions grows larger."

And a new book that appeared on many November must-read lists is out today. Alice Sadie Celine (Amazon | Bookshop), by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, is about three women exploring their gender and sexuality.

On the nonfiction side, we have a new book about the British monarchy. The New York Times isn’t too kind to Omid Scobie’s Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival (Amazon | Bookshop). However, I imagine one reviewer’s opinion doesn’t matter if you’re into palace intrigue.

If you want to get into the holiday spirit, Erika Johansen’s The Kingdom of Sweets (Amazon | Bookshop) is a retelling of The Nutcracker. In it, a curse divides sisters Clara and Natasha until Natasha makes her move on Christmas Eve.

You’ll find other Christmas-related books below. Just look for the Christmas tree emoji 🎄.

Lastly, remember to peruse the Literairyland Gift Guide to find presents for the book lovers in your life.

Happy reading,
Nick

This Week’s New Books

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Fiction

Mystery

  • The Watchmaker's Hand (Lincoln Rhyme Novel) by Jeffery Deaver (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Robert B. Parker’s Broken Trust by Mike Lupica (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Sub Rosa: A Valerius Mystery by Jennifer Burke (Amazon)

  • Misty Hollow Massacre by Carol Ericson (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Arsenic at Ascot by Kelly Oliver (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Pantomime Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith (Amazon)

  • Murder with Chocolate Tea by Karen Rose Smith (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Knitmare on Beech Street by Peggy Ehrhart (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Legacy: A Thornton Mystery by C.L. Tolbert (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • How Not To Murder Your Ex by Katie Marsh (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

  • The Mystery Guest: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Eden Park Killer by Frances Lloyd (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 30)

Thriller

  • Unnatural Death: A Scarpetta Novel by Patricia Cornwell (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Fast and the Dead by Anuja Chauhan (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 30)

  • The Fiction Writer: A Novel by Jillian Cantor (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Primary Storm by Brendan DuBois (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Night She Died by Deirdre Palmer (Amazon) (Available Dec. 4)

Fantasy

  • The Kingdom of Sweets: A Novel of the Nutcracker by Erika Johansen (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • Uncanny Vows by Laura Anne Gilman (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Like Thunder: The Desert Magician's Duology: Book Two by Nnedi Okorafor (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Shards of Glass by Michelle Sagara (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Inspirational Wink and the Altogether Extraordinary Notebook by Delaney Evers (Amazon)

  • The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Anything With Nothing by Mercedes Lackey (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Forlorn Trail: The Eye of Ur I by Jacob C. Sadler (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 30)

  • The Charmed: Fae of the Crystal Palace by Kylie Fennell (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 30)

Romance

  • Bloody Heart (Brutal Birthright, 4) by Sophie Lark (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • A Demon's Guide To Wooing A Witch by Sarah Hawley (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Waking Up Married to the Billionaire by Michelle Douglas (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • A Christmas Consequence for the Greek by Lucy King (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • Healed by a Mistletoe Kiss by Alison Roberts (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • An Unlikely Match for the Governess by Lauri Robinson (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Twins for the Holidays by Jacquelin Thomas (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • Breaking the Bad Boy's Rules & Their White-Hot Christmas by Jules Bennett and Reese Ryan (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • Marry & Bright by Teri Wilson (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • Hotshot Hero for the Holidays by Lisa Childs (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • Undercover Christmas Escape by Terri Reed (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • The Amish Christmas Promise by Amy Lillard (Amazon | Bookshop) 🎄

  • A World With You by M. Roca (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Taking Care Ed. N. White (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • A Lady's Rules for Ruin by Jennifer Haymore (Amazon)

  • Born to Be Badger by Shelly Laurenston (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Cowboy Whisperer by Sabrina Sol (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Troublemaker by Maisey Yates (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Talk of Coyote Canyon by Brenda Novak (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Heart Like a Cowboy by Delores Fossen (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Last Love Note by Emma Grey (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • An Honorable Viscount by Jessica Clements (Amazon) (Available Nov. 29)

  • Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Aimee Brown (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 29)

  • Ruth's Ginger Snap Surprise by Anne Blackburne (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

  • The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh (Amazon) (Available Dec. 4)

  • Believing in Never by Katherine Turner (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 4)

Historical

  • The Juggler's Box by Clio Gray (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

  • The Frontier Overland Company by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Iwo, 26 Charlie by P.T. Deutermann (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Lauren Grodstein (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Mandeville Shadow by Callie Langridge (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 29)

  • The Oath of Bjorn by Tamara Goranson (Amazon) (Available Dec. 1)

  • The Lost Gift to the Italian Island by Barbara Josselsohn (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 4)

Dystopian

Short Stories

  • Soul to Soul: Tiny Stories of Hope and Resilience by Faye Rapoport Despres (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

  • Roxanne Riding Hood and Other Dubious Tales by Bruce Harris (Amazon)

Graphic Novels & Manga

  • The Boy From Clearwater: Book 1 by Pei-Yun Yu, illustrated by Jian-Xin Zhou, translated by Lin King (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Ruined by Sarah Vaughn, illustrated by Sarah Winifred Searle and Niki Smith (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Agents of the Four Seasons, Vol. 1 by Kana Akatsuki, illustrated by Suoh, translated by Sergio Avila (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Cells at Work! Omnibus 1 (Vols. 1-3) by Akane Shimizu (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White 30th Anniversary Edition by Taiyo Matsumoto (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 6--Stone Ocean, Vol. 1 by Hirohiko Araki (Amazon | Bookshop)

Literary

  • Alice Sadie Celine: A Novel by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright (Amazon | Bookshop)

Humor & Satire

Young Adult

Coming of Age

  • Children in the City of Czars by Irmgarde Brown (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 3)

Nonfiction

Memoir

  • The Old Gays Guide to the Good Life: Lessons Learned about Love and Death, Sex and Sin, and Saving the Best for Last by Bill Lyons, Jessay Martin, Mick Peterson, and Robert Reeves (Amazon | Bookshop) 🏳️‍🌈

Biography

  • The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story by Sam Wasson (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • A Brilliant Life: My Mother's Inspiring True Story of Surviving the Holocaust by Rachelle Unreich (Amazon | Bookshop)

DIY

  • Growing Seasons: Heartfelt Recipes, DIY Style and Décor, and Inspiration to Help You Find Beauty and Wonder in Each Day by Kristin Johns (Amazon | Bookshop)

Gardening

  • Growing an Edible Landscape: How to Transform Your Outdoor Space into a Food Garden by Chiara D'Amore and Gary Pilarchik (Amazon | Bookshop)

Art

  • Clitso Dedman, Navajo Carver: His Art and His World by Rebecca M. Valette (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Nov. 1)

Entertainment

  • Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History by Stephanie Savage, Josh Schwartz, and Alan Sepinwall (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars by Kliph Nesteroff (Amazon | Bookshop)

Music

  • The Needle and the Lens: Pop Goes to the Movies from Rock 'n' Roll to Synthwave by Nate Patrin (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Darker with the Dawn: Nick Cave's Songs of Love and Death by Adam Steiner (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

Culture

  • Life Before the Internet: What We Can Learn from the Good Old Days by Michael Gentle (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

Travel

  • What Really Happens in Vegas by James Patterson and Mark Seal (Amazon | Bookshop)

Climate

  • A Fire Runs Through All Things: Zen Koans for Facing the Climate Crisis by Susan Murphy (Amazon | Bookshop)

Psychology

  • Do I Know You?: From Face Blindness to Super Recognition by Sharrona Pearl (Amazon | Bookshop)

History

  • Great Plains Forts by Jay H. Buckley and Jeffery D. Nokes (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

  • Galloping Gourmet: Eating and Drinking with Buffalo Bill by Steve Friesen (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

  • 1932: FDR, Hoover and the Dawn of a New America by Scott Martelle (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Soul and Sword: The Endless Battle Over Political Hinduism by Hindol Sengupta (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

Leadership

  • The Fired Leader: Reinventing the Future of Leadership by Paul McCarthy (Amazon | Bookshop)

Government & Politics

  • Mayor's Desk: 20 Conversations with Local Leaders Solving Global Problems by Anthony Flint (Amazon | Bookshop)

Royals

  • Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival by Omid Scobie (Amazon | Bookshop)

Sports

  • The Book of James: The Power, Politics, and Passion of Lebron by Valerie Babb (Amazon | Bookshop)

Self-Help

  • How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace, and Heal Your Relationships by Dr. Nicole LePera (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Stop Overthinking: A Workbook to Stop Perfectionism, People Pleasing, Self-Sabotage, and Other Forms of Negative Thinking by Tina B. Tessina (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • A Stuttering Revolution: Don't Fix Your Stutter, Fix Your Life by Paul Gaskin (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • Lessons for Living: What Only Adversity Can Teach You by Phil Stutz (Amazon | Bookshop)

Spiritual

  • An Unlikely Guru: How a Neurotic Jewish Real Estate Developer from New Jersey Found Enlightenment (and How You Can, Too) by Chick Atkins (Amazon | Bookshop)

  • The Overthinker's Devotional: Meditations, Scripture, and Prayers for Refocusing Your Thoughts by Joanne Simmons (Amazon | Bookshop) (Available Dec. 1)

This Week’s Literary Birthdays & Events

November 28

  • William Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway (1582)

  • William Blake

  • Nancy Mitford

  • Dawn Powell

  • Randolph Stow

  • Genevieve Taggard

  • Stefan Zweig

November 29

  • Louisa May Alcott

  • Lauren Child

  • Jackie French

  • Madeleine L'Engle

  • C.S. Lewis

  • Sue Miller

  • Willie Morris

  • Kevin O'Donnell, Jr.

November 30

  • Jacques Barzun

  • John Dickson Carr

  • Tayari Jones

  • Adeline Yen Mah

  • John McCrae

  • Lucy Maud Montgomery

  • Daniel Keys Moran

  • David Nicholls

  • Jonathan Swift

  • John Toland

  • Mark Twain

December 1

  • Candace Bushnell

  • John Crowley

  • Kemal Kurspahić

  • Julia A. Moore

  • George Sterling

  • Jo Walton

  • Henry Williamson

December 2

  • Charles Dickens gives his first public reading in the U.S. in a Boston theater (1867)

  • Elizabeth Berg

  • Tahar Ben Jelloun

  • Leon Litwack

  • Ann Patchett

  • George Saunders

  • Rex Stout

  • Charles H. Wesley

December 3

  • Grace Andreacchi

  • Francesca Lia Block

  • T.C. Boyle

  • Joseph Conrad

  • F. Sionil José

  • Eli Mandel

  • Alyson Noël

  • Craig Raine

  • David K. Shipler

December 4

  • Joan Brady

  • John Giorno

  • Kafū Nagai

  • Morgan Llywelyn

  • Cornell Woolrich