NetGalley members are always looking ahead to exciting new releases to add to their TBR piles. Here are 20 fall and winter books being published in 2021 that readers won’t want to miss—some are even already available for request on NetGalley! Take a look and take note of the books you want to read before this year is over.
In Every Mirror She’s Black by Lola Akinmade Åkerström
The lives of three Black women intersect in surprising ways after they move to Stockholm. Each is tied to Jonny von Lundin, a white CEO at Sweden’s biggest marketing firm. Through Kemi, Brittany, and Muna’s unique points of view, Lola Akinmade Åkerström’s first novel explores race, class, and Black womanhood.
Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn
M.J. Kuhn’s fantasy debut transports readers to Dresdell, one of the five kingdoms of Thamorr. Ryia Cautella has made quite the name for herself there, with the help of her sharp blade. It’s her skills that have kept her safe for the last six years, but with her enemy drawing ever closer, she realizes it’s time to stop hiding and go on the attack.
The Devil’s Own Duke by Lenora Bell
Lenora Bell’s Wallflowers vs. Rogues series continues this September with an intoxicating tale of a vintner and the gambler who threatens to steal her heart. When Ash claims to be the heir to her father’s dukedom, Henrietta realizes that marrying him is the only way to keep her vineyard and the dreams she has for her future.
So Many Beginnings by Bethany C. Morrow
Bethany C. Morrow had us at “Little Women Remix.” Set in North Carolina during the Civil War, So Many Beginnings follows the March family to the Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island. It’s there that the four sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—discover their dreams, desires, and themselves, and where they learn how unshakable their bond truly is.
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
Charlie Winshaw doesn’t believe in true love, but he does think that a stint on the reality dating show Ever After might be his ticket to rehabbing his image. But dating 20 women at once on TV is far harder than he thought, especially when he can’t keep his eyes off of the show’s producer, Dev Deshpande.
The Actual Star by Monica Byrne
Two thousand years, six continents, three separate timelines—and one book that brings them all together! Monica Byrne’s The Actual Star is a multigenerational science fiction saga following three reincarnated souls throughout their various lifetimes, exploring the ways that humanity both changes and remains the same.
My Sweet Girl by Amanda Jayatissa
Thirty-year-old Paloma doesn’t like to think about the choices she had to make that led her to finally being adopted from her Sri Lankan orphanage and brought to live in America as a child. But when her tenant discovers her darkest secrets and then winds up dead, she fears her past is finally catching up with her.
Tenderness by Alison MacLeod
Author Elizabeth Gilbert’s high praise for Tenderness has us hooked already: “Powerful, moving, brilliant . . . an utterly captivating read.” The book follows the publication of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, the subsequent trial against the publisher for obscenity, and how future first lady Jackie Kennedy found herself in the courtroom.
Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper
Emmy Harlow, Linden Thorn, and Talia Avramov share a common enemy: Gareth Blackmoore, a two-timing powerful magician. Talia and Linden have plans for revenge, and when Talia invites Emmy into their schemes, she finds she can’t resist. But is it vengeance she’s after, or simply an excuse to spend more time with the enchanting Talia?
Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson
The skeleton crew piloting the colony ship Ragtime is responsible for delivering one thousand sleeping passengers from Earth to their new home in the Lagos system. But when things take a sinister turn, the crew faces choices that could impact humanity’s future in space. Tade Thompson’s return to sci-fi promises to be one readers won’t soon forget.
The Violent Season by Sara Walters
YA readers looking for a chilling October book will want to move The Violent Season to the top of their list. Legend says that every fall the people of Wolf Ridge are overcome by a desire for violence. Wyatt, whose mother was murdered last November, fears the rumors are true and that her best friend is the latest to be impacted by the dark and dangerous urges.
The Throwback List by Lily Anderson
Jo Freeman reluctantly returns to the quiet beach town of her childhood after losing her job, where she reconnects with her old high school friends Autumn Kelly and Bianca Boria. It turns out Autumn and Bianca aren’t living the lives they dreamed of either, and the discovery of a high school bucket list launches all three on a journey they won’t forget.
These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant
A suspenseful tale of survival and sacrifice awaits readers who pick up Kimi Cunningham Grant’s latest. Cooper and his daughter Finch have lived in a remote cabin in the Appalachian woods for eight years. But when a stranger discovers their isolated haven, she threatens everything Cooper has built to keep them safe.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
For an adventurous group of friends, a haunted mansion sounds like the ideal place for a destination wedding. The group reunites in Japan with plans to celebrate, only to find themselves at the mercy of the ghost bride who walks the halls. With a plot promising to be every bit as creepy as the cover, you won’t want to read this one after dark.
Everything We Didn’t Say by Nicole Baart
Ready or not, Juniper Baker is returning to Jericho, Iowa in the hope of reconnecting with her teenage daughter and finally solving the murder that rocked her world fifteen years ago. But she isn’t the only one digging around for answers, and as the truth comes out, Juniper fears that she may lose everything she loves.
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
Lauren Blackwood’s debut novel is a YA fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. Andromeda cleanses homes of evil, and when she’s approached by Magnus Rochester, she assumes that the job he’s offering her will be routine. But once she arrives at his home, it becomes clear that the wickedness lurking within is beyond anything she’s ever experienced.
How To Marry Keanu Reeves In 90 Days by K.M. Jackson
Keanu Reeves is getting married? Not if Bethany Lu Carlisle has anything to say about it. With her best friend Truman Erikson at her side, Lu heads off on a road trip from New York to LA to convince her celebrity crush to call off his wedding. From the cover to the title to the premise, this is looking like rom-com perfection from K.M. Jackson!
The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
Rachel Kapelke-Dale’s debut thriller tracks the lives of three friends from their teen years at the Paris Opera Ballet to the present day. At thirty-six, Delphine returns to Paris as a choreographer. She hopes to reconnect with her old friends Lindsay and Margaux, but their reunion is overshadowed by a long-kept secret that threatens to surface.
Here’s to Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera return this December with the sequel to What If It’s Us. Ben and Arthur reunite after two years apart and find that their feelings for each other never quite went away. As they bump into each other all over New York City, they start to think that fate is trying to bring them back together.
Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino
When their anonymous blog goes viral, best friends Cate, Lauren, Olivia, and Max fear being thrust into the spotlight. All four work as assistants and their shared blog was a place to vent about the sexism they dealt with in the entertainment industry. As other women start to come forward with similar stories, the group wonders what will happen if their identities are exposed.
