New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out on January 14

Alex Faccibene

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The covers of three new book releases coming out on January 14: We Lived On the Horizon, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, and Hammajang Luck

There are a lot of new books coming out every week. With New Release Radar, I’ll help you narrow down the week’s new book releases into the titles you should get excited about. This week, I have nine great new books to share with you. Read on.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

In the summer of 1970, pregnant 15-year-old Fern arrives at the Wellwood Home, where strict adults hide and control unwed mothers. Among a group of diverse girls, she discovers an occult book that offers them a taste of forbidden power. But as they seize control of their fates, they learn that power always comes with a dangerous price.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a slow-burn work of horror that centers the trauma, injustice and rage of women throughout history. Grady Hendrix’s new book release is truly different than his previous work. However, it holds onto the addictive writing style and creepy tone his fans have come to expect.

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Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor

When Zelu loses her university job and her manuscript is rejected, all during her sister’s wedding, her world is turned upside down. Disabled and under pressure from her high-achieving family, she takes a bold step and writes a sci-fi novel about androids and AI after humanity’s extinction. The decision sparks a journey of transformation, fame and unexpected connections as the boundaries between her fictional world and reality begin to dissolve. Nevertheless, Zelu discovers that her story could change not just her life but the world itself.

It’s impossible to put a book like Death of the Author into a box. Nnedi Okorafor combines her expected science fiction style with a work of literary fiction in a way that’s unique and surprising, defying genre expectations.

The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley

The cover of The Queen's Spade has a young Black woman in profile. She's wearing a flowing dress and holding a short sword. Surrounding her are decorative vine-like designs with green leaves and large red flowers,

In 1862 England, Sarah Bonetta Forbes, a former Egbado princess turned royal property, seeks revenge against the British Crown for the colonial system that stole her freedom. To dismantle Queen Victoria’s court, she enters a dangerous web of intrigue, allying with a cunning crime lord and manipulating Prince Albert’s affections. But as the Queen counters with a plan to trap Sally in marriage, Sally faces a harrowing choice between vengeance and freedom. With her plans unraveling, Sally discovers that the cost of revenge may not only be paid in blood; it may also demand her heart.

Loosely inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, The Queen’s Spade is a YA historical thriller about a little-known piece of history. While Sarah Raughley’s previous novels venture into the fantastical, her new book release is a complex, court intrigue-based realistic drama.

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Vantage Point by Sara Sligar

The Wieland family, heirs to old money and a dark curse, return to their remote Maine mansion, Vantage Point, to rebuild their lives after a supposed curse ruined them 14 years ago. As Teddy launches a Senate campaign, intimate videos of his sister Clara surface online — videos she doesn’t recall making. As doubts about their authenticity swirl, Clara is plagued by the family’s tragic past and the growing fear that the curse is real. With her sanity questioned and danger closing in, Clara must uncover the truth before the curse claims her, too.

Sara Sligar tells a suspenseful, twisted tale of wealth and success gone wrong in her dramatic second novel. Vantage Point blurs the lines between truth and lies, resulting in a page-turning thriller with a lot going on.

We Lived On the Horizon by Erika Swyler

Bulwark, a walled city governed by AI and built on a foundation of sacrifice, is ruled by the elite Sainted class. As Saint Enita Malovis, a renowned bio-prosthetist, nears the end of her life, she creates Nix, a physical being imbued with her knowledge, to preserve her legacy. When a Sainted is murdered, and the event is erased from the AI’s records, Enita and Nix are thrust into a growing rebellion between the city’s oppressed underclass and its rigid systems of control. What begins as a personal project becomes a battle that could reshape the fate of Bulwark forever.

I love a story that begins in a supposed utopia, and We Lived On the Horizon is no exception. Drawing inspiration from authors like Ursula K. Le Guin and Octavia Butler, Erika Swyler’s novel is a quiet, compelling addition to the sci-fi canon.

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The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill

The cover of The In-Between Bookstore has an illustration of an open book at the center, with its pages forming an archway. Silhouetted against this archway are two figures facing each other from either side, casting shadows. Surrounding the book is a large tree with dark blue branches and orange leaves.

When Darby returns to his small Illinois hometown seeking a fresh start, he discovers that In Between Books, the bookstore he once worked at, is frozen in time. It’s complete with newspapers from 2009 and a teenage clerk who looks eerily like his younger self. As Darby unravels the mystery, he realizes the bookstore may offer a chance to rewrite his past and reshape his present. However, time is running out. He must act before his connection to his younger self disappears forever.

The In-Between Bookstore is a captivating tale of love, self-discovery and second chances. Edward Underhill’s adult debut is perfect for anyone who has ever dreamed of revisiting the past to make bolder choices.

Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon

River Langston-Lee’s fresh start at the struggling Korean cafe Bingsu for Two turns chaotic when he clashes with his grumpy coworker, Sarang Cho. After a viral video accidentally puts the cafe — and their fake “romance” — in the spotlight, River and Sarang must navigate their newfound fame while trying to save the business. Furthermore, tensions rise with his parents’ rival cafe, and his past threatens to catch up. River must decide where his loyalty lies and if his growing feelings for Sarang are more real than pretend.

Sujin Witherspoon’s debut is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Gloria Chao. Bingsu for Two is a fun way to start off the new year.

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Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto

Edie is done with crime after her former partner, Angel, betrayed her, leading to eight years on an icy prison planet. However, freedom comes with a catch, and Angel has an offer. One last job to take down the trillionaire tech tycoon they failed to destroy before. To succeed, Edie must do the one thing she swore never to do again: trust Angel. What could possibly go wrong?

Ocean’s 8 meets Blade Runner in Makana Yamamoto’s thrilling sci-fi debut. Hammajang Luck is a swashbuckling love letter to Hawai‘i about finding new homes and building better ones.

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

The cover of Water Moon has a large, white crescent moon in a starry sky partially covered by fluffy clouds. Below, a line of cityscape silhouettes with warm, glowing lights reflects on the water's surface. Paper boats float in the foreground, with a figure visible in one of them.

Hidden in a Tokyo backstreet is a magical pawnshop where the lost can trade their life choices and regrets. When new owner Hana Ishikawa wakes to find the shop ransacked, its most precious item stolen and her father missing, she embarks on a mystical journey with a mysterious stranger. Through rain puddles, paper cranes and a night market in the clouds, they search for answers. But as Hana uncovers the truth, she faces a secret of her own and a choice she can never undo.

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Water Moon is a dreamy, enchanting fantasy debut perfect for Studio Ghibli fans. Samantha Sotto Yambao’s book travels far and wide over a whimsical, unique universe.

​You can check out these new book releases at Bookshop.org or your local bookstore. What January 14 new release are you most excited to read? Let us know below, and tune in next week to grow your TBR.

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Alex Faccibene