24 of the Best New Books Coming Out This Winter

Were you obsessed with Megan Markle's wedding dress? (Of course you were!) The Gown tells the story of the women behind the making of Queen Elizabeth's intricately embroidered wedding gown. Alternating between two timelines — post-World War Two, when the dress was made, and today, when a woman discovers a set of embroidered flowers her grandmother has left for her — The Gown is perfect for fans of historical fiction and royal watchers alike.

Release date: Dec. 31

Do you believe in mystics, astrologists, or psychics? Victoria Loustalot wasn't sure, either. But as she struggled to find meaning in today's world filled with chaos and unrest, she set off on a journey to question everything. In Future Perfect, she takes us on this ride through the realm of the unknown. The result is a memoir filled with insight and intelligence that might even leave you wondering what you really believe.

Release date: Jan. 1

When makeup artist Jessica Farris lies her way into a research study for some fast cash, she thinks it'll be easy — just grab the money and go. But then she's asked back again. And then again for even more money. Is this just a simple research assignment? Or something else entirely? An Anonymous Girl is a tightly wound, smart psychological thriller by the authors of The Wife Between Us.

Release date: Jan. 8

Fans of the acclaimed novel The Age of Miracles have been waiting a long time for a follow-up novel. It was worth the wait. In The Dreamers, students in a Southern California town are overcome by a strange illness: they fall fast asleep but are still dreaming. Told through the eyes of various characters — the first victim's roommate, a survivalist who lives nearby, a new father who desperately wants to protect his baby — The Dreamers is a beautifully written novel that is powerful, thoughtful, and entirely original.

Release date: Jan. 15

What would you do if you discovered the man you thought was your father wasn't really your father? Novelist and memoirist Dani Shapiro found herself in that position after taking a DNA test on a whim, and the result is documented in her beautiful memoir, Inheritance. As she puzzles through what she has learned, readers are taken on a journey that forces us to ask: what truly makes a family? Inheritance is both thrilling and fascinating — a nonfiction book that reads like a novel.

Release date: Jan. 15

In Sanskrit, there are 96 Words For Love. When Raya Liston's grandmother dies, she goes to the ashram in India where her parents first fell in love. What she least expects is to fall in love herself. Designer Rachel Roy and her daughter Ava Dash have teamed up to write this young adult novel about self-discovery, a modern retelling of the Indian legend Shakuntala and Dushyanta.

Release date: Jan. 15

When the short story "Cat Person" was released last year, people couldn't stop talking about it. Was it about a date? Was it about sexual assault? Was it a personal essay disguised as fiction? The best fiction leaves us thinking about it long after turning the last page, and with that one short story, author Kristen Roupenian established herself as a writer to watch. Her short-story collection, You Know You Want This, includes that story and others, all of which will have you talking about them long after finishing.

Release date: Jan. 15

Ruth and Millie may be sisters, but they've never been close. But when World War Two brings them together again, they find themselves further apart than ever. Can they ever break free of their childhood roles? And will they ever come together when they need each other most? The Wartime Sisters is an emotionally honest story about the complexity of family.

Release date: Jan. 22

Readers fell in love with Sally Thorne's debut novel, The Hating Game, and now she's back with 99 Percent Mine. When Darcy and her twin brother's grandmother leaves her run-down cottage to them, they have no choice but to fix it up before selling it. What Darcy doesn't know is that her brother Jamie has hired his best friend, Tom, to do the work. Tom, who she's had a crush on since she was 8. Tom, who always belonged to her brother, and not to her. But now he's back, and he's single. Get ready for sparks to fly!

Release date: Jan. 29

When it comes to compelling historical fiction, Pam Jenoff always delivers. And with The Lost Girls of Paris, she brings us the little-known story of a female spy ring that operated during World War Two. When Grace Healy finds an abandoned suitcase in Grand Central in 1946, she has no idea why she feels drawn to the photographs she finds inside. Who were these women? And what was their story? The Lost Girls of Paris is a story of bravery, friendship, and the power of strong women.

Release date: Jan. 29

From the acclaimed author of The Light We Lost comes More Than Words, your new romantic obsession. Meet Nina Gregory. She's the heir to the Gregory luxury hotels, but she works as a speechwriter to an up-and-coming political star. When her beloved father dies, she is expected to take over the family business and marry her long-time boyfriend. But is all that what she really wants for her life? More Than Words is a moving story about love and loss that you won't soon forget.

Release date: Feb. 5

The Beantown Girls tells the little-known story of the women who volunteered to be Red Cross "Clubmobile Girls," serving on the front lines of World War Two as they provided soldiers with coffee, doughnuts, and the comfort of home. Fiona, Dottie, and Viv hardly know what to expect once their training begins, but they will be pushed to their limits as they discover courage they didn't know they had and the importance of friendship.

Release date: Feb. 5

Three generations of a family, one candlepin bowling alley. Spanning 100 years in a small New England town, Bowlaway tells the story of Bertha Truitt, the woman who created the sport of candlepin bowling (or did she?) and the generations that would follow. Eccentric and magical, this is a novel to be savored.

Release date: Feb. 5

The Hate U Give was one of our favorite novels of 2017, and we've been anxiously awaiting what Angie Thomas would do next. In On the Come Up, we meet 16-year-old Bri, who has one dream in life: to be a rapper like her late father. But when her first song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, she has to figure out how to make her dreams come true completely on her own.

Release date: Feb. 5

When Molly's husband goes away on a business trip, she makes plans with her friend Liza to have a video chat and reconnect. But in Forget You Know Me, when Molly goes to check on one of her children in the middle of the chat, Liza sees a man with a black hood entering Molly's back door. She frantically calls the police, but when she finally speaks to her friend later, her friend says there must have been a misunderstanding. But there was no mistaking what Liza saw. Or was there?

Release date: Feb. 5

Renowned artist Man Ray. Celebrated model and artist Lee Miller. Their love affair is legendary, but in this gorgeously written debut novel, we see how it unfolds. Sensual and riveting, The Age of Light is the story of their romance but also the story of the awakening of a young artist. It's a must-read.

Release date: Feb. 5

Daphne Maritch has one of her late mother's prized possessions: an old yearbook from the class of 1969 from when she was the English teacher and yearbook adviser. Why did her mother hold this yearbook so dear? And why was it heavily annotated, with notes from each of the class reunions she'd attended? Daphne throws the yearbook in the trash, only to have her nosy neighbor dig it out and make it the subject of her latest documentary. Elinor Lipman always delights with her romantic comedies, and Good Riddance is Lipman at her best: funny, smart, and utterly charming.

Release date: Feb. 5

Marlon James is known for winning the Man Booker Prize for his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings, and with Black Leopard, Red Wolf, he brings us another epic story, described by the author himself as an "African Game of Thrones." The first in a trilogy of fantasy novels, the book begins with a missing child. When a tracker who usually works alone joins the effort to find the missing boy, more questions arise than are answered. Lyrically written and drawing from African history and mythology, Black Leopard, Red Wolf will be the book everyone is talking about.

Release date: Feb. 5

Be prepared to fall hard for The Last Romantics. The new novel by Tara Conklin, author of The House Girl, tells the story of four siblings bound together by love, loyalty, and the one Summer that changed their lives. Perfect for fans of The Immortalists, this gorgeously written novel will make you think deeply about how our past affects our present and the power of family.

Release date: Feb. 5

Fixie Farr just can't help herself — she's always fixing things for other people. It's how she got her nickname, and it's how she found herself throwing her body over a stranger's laptop, saving it from a watery death. When the owner of the laptop returns to find that Fixie has saved his work from disaster, he quickly gives Fixie an IOU on a coffee sleeve. When Fixie decides to cash it, she has no idea where it will lead. I Owe You One is another impossibly delightful story by Sophie Kinsella, a must-read for her diehard fans and new readers alike.

Release date: Feb. 5

When eldest sister Althea is arrested along with her husband, Proctor, her sisters are as shocked as the community. What could have happened? Younger sisters Lillian and Viola rush to take care of Althea's teenage daughters, as memories from their own childhood come bubbling to the surface. The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls is a powerful debut novel by a writer to watch.

Release date: Feb. 19

One special teacher. One unforgettable student. Alyson Richman is known for her stunning historical fiction (The Lost Wife is being made into a movie as we speak!), but her first foray into a contemporary story will make you forget about the past. When Maggie is asked to tutor a student who is too sick to attend school regularly, she has no idea the impact this young child will have on her. The Secret of Clouds is a moving novel about the power of one person to change our lives.

Release date: Feb. 19

Two best friends. Two dramatically different lives. When Naira is widowed before age 30, she moves to New York City, close to her best friend, Paris. When Paris asks Naira to serve as a surrogate for the child her husband desperately wants, Naira says yes. The Object of Your Affections asks the questions: What makes a good wife? And what makes a good mother?

Release date: Feb. 19

Darlings, listen up: fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi has a memoir coming out, and he's ready to dish. Nothing is off limits, from his childhood to his start in the fashion world to his relationships and sexuality. I.M. is the must-read that will be in every chic woman's handbag this season.

Release date: Feb. 26