Time to prepare for a storm—and not just because we’re heading into the winter months.
After the back-to-back releases of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, fans had to wait over a year for the third installment in Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series. But when the story picks up in Onyx Storm, out Jan. 21, Violet Sorrengail is in quite a rough spot.
As Iron Flame came to a close, Violet’s mom General Lilith Sorrengail and her great love Xaden Riorson was able to save her only by sacrificing themselves. For Xaden, that meant turning into a Venin—corrupted magical wielders who can draw power from the Earth at the cost of their soul. Not only are the creatures a major threat to the people of Navarre and beyond, but now it seems Violet must learn to defeat them to save him as well.
As for what’s next? Well, the fight has only begun and there’s a long road ahead for Violet and her allies—especially with two more installments in Yarros’ series to come.
Beyond the BookTok favorite, there are plenty of other exciting reads heading to shelves this winter.
For instance, thriller queen Alice Feeney is back with the haunting Beautiful Ugly, out Jan. 14, which follows Grady, a bereaved husband whose wife Abby suddenly vanished a year prior. He tries to pick up the pieces only, of course, to come face to face with a woman who is a dead ringer for his wife.
Authors Jojo Moyes and Tracy Lange, meanwhile, dive into complex family dynamics in their respective new releases, We All Live Here (out Feb. 11) and What Happened to the McCrays? (out Jan. 14.)
And for those looking for romance during the cold months, look no further than Cara Bastone’s Promise Me Sunshine, releasing March 4, which sees sparks fly between protagonist Lenny and Miles, the uncle of her new babysitting charge.
Keep reading for more books to check out this winter.
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
Release Date: Jan. 7
This gripping novel told through the lens of a memoir sees best-selling author Cate Kay, who has kept her real identity very close to the vest—a la Elena Ferrante—finally come forward with the truth. But in telling her story, and unraveling her many changing identities, she’s going all the way back to the teenage tragedy that shaped her path forward.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
Release Date: Jan. 14
Gear up for yet another wild ride from the His & Hers author. One year after his wife mysteriously disappeared—her abandoned car and phone left at the edge of a cliff—Grady takes refuge to a secluded Scottish island to find closure. However, that is immediately interrupted when he encounters a woman who looks identical to his missing wife. And as with all of Feeney’s books, everything is not what it seems—or, of course, Grady’s spiral has just begun.
What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracy Lange
Release Date: Jan. 14
Lange has already proven her bona fides when it comes to telling heartbreaking, yet hopeful stories about complex family dynamics. And her latest is no different, as two years after his sudden departure from his hometown, Kyle McCray returns for what he intends to be a brief visit in the wake of his dad’s stroke. However, once he’s there, he comes face-to-face with all the people he left behind, namely his wife Casey, with whom he must make amends if he wants to stick around.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Release Date: Jan. 14
Proving horror knows no season, the Final Girl Support Group author is back with a chilling story—this one set in 1970. Pregnant 15-year-old Fern’s life at a home for unwed mothers is changed when she is given a book on the occult and begins to explore the witchcraft within. But the magic comes with a price—and sometimes the cost is unbearably high.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Release Date: Jan. 21
Just two books ago, Violet Sorrengail’s biggest obstacle was crossing an admittedly deadly parapet as she began her quest to become a Dragon Rider. Now, following the events of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, her general mother is dead, her great love has sacrificed himself by using magic that’ll corrupt his soul and the war for Navarre’s survival has just begun. BookTok’s beloved romantasy is back for its third of five installments and so now we can all take a sigh of relief… until the yearning for book four commences.
Pure Innocent Fun by Ira Madison III
Release Date: Feb. 4
For more than a decade, Madison has been a major voice in cultural criticism, from his time at MTV News and BuzzFeed to his podcast Keep It. Now, with his essay collection—during which he deftly weaves in vignettes from his life—he examines his relationship with some of the biggest pop culture moments of the last few decades and how they left their mark not only on him but society writ large.
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
Release Date: Feb. 11
Weddings are supposed to be fun, right? Well, that’s not necessary the case infor mother of the bride Gail in Tyler’s brief, heartfelt tale. Not only is she struggling with the mother of the groom and has reunited with her ex-husband for the festivities, but she and her daughter learn a secret about the groom that may throw the whole ceremony in flux.
We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes
Release Date: Feb. 11
This emotional story unpacks complicated family dynamics as protagonist Lila is at a crossroads in her career and her personal life. In addition to her crumbling marriage, her newly widowed stepdad has moved in and her estranged biological father has just returned after a 35-year absence.
Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce
Release date: Feb. 25
We may be in the middle of winter but this spooky novel is set in a heat wave as child psychologist Mina takes on her first client, 13-year-old Alice who says she is being haunted by a witch. As outlandish as Alice’s story may sound, her situation only gets stranger, especially as her small English hamlet with a troubling witchcraft history closes ranks and Mina races to find the truth, no matter the cost.
Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
Release Date: March 4
This sweet, moving rom-com finds two people in a rut. Lenny is grieving her late best friend and trying to work through the “live list” she made to help her move on. Miles, the uncle of Lenny’s new babysitting charge Ainsley, is desperate to connect with her despite a complicated dynamic with her mom. Both on their own grief journeys, they find themselves leaning on one another and soon sparks begin to fly.
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
Release Date: March 4
We’re taking off to an alternate reality in the Pulitzer Prize finalist’s new book, in which a Risk Assessment Administration can predict someone who will commit a crime. Sara, upon landing at LAX, is informed that the algorithm has determined that she will soon kill her husband, which lands her in a facility alongside other women who have been informed that they too will commit crimes violently. There they await their unknown fates—until a new arrival shakes everything up. It’s an engrossing story about an unnerving relationship with technology and the cost each advancement brings.
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman
Release Date: March 11
Fitting in with the right mom group can be tough—especially when your 10-year-old son is the prime suspect in the disappearance of a classmate. Such is the case for Florence Grimes in this funny, exciting thriller.