The Trendsetter Recommendations
Winter Book Releases 2025-2026
For the Trendsetter, being first is everything. Stay ahead of the curve this winter with the buzziest new releases — from celebrity memoirs and book club picks to award contenders lighting up social media. These are the reads everyone will be talking about.
february Books:
The Guy You Loved to Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain
by Spencer Pratt
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
In this explosive, wildly entertaining memoir, Spencer Pratt charts his rise and fall as America's most notorious reality TV villain on The Hills--and how, from the ashes of the Pacific Palisades fires, he's finally ready for his redemption arc.
Spencer Pratt wasn't born into Hollywood royalty--he charmed his way in, driven by an unshakeable need to become somebody. By twenty-one, he had created his own reality show, making him the youngest executive producer in network television history. When that venture imploded, he didn't give up; instead, he infiltrated MTV's The Hills, weaponizing Simon Cowell-style villainy to become Y2K's most hated reality TV antagonist. From on-screen fights to off-camera manipulation, Spencer transformed toxicity into ratings gold--and, with future wife Heidi Montag, built "Speidi," a two-headed tabloid machine worth $2 million a year.
Missing Sam
by Thrity Umrigar
A tense and twisty story of a woman who goes missing on a morning run and her wife's determination to both find her and clear her own name--from the bestselling author of Honor.
One night after a party, old grievances surface between married couple Aliya and Sam and the night ends badly with a heated argument. Sam goes for a run early the next morning to clear her head--and doesn't come back.
Aliya reports her wife missing, but as a gay, Muslim daughter of immigrants, she can't escape the scrutiny and suspicion of those around her. Scared and furious and feeling isolated as strangers and acquaintances alike doubt her innocence, Aliya makes one wrong choice after another. She must fight to prove her innocence in the public eye even as she is torn between her fear that Sam is dead and her desire to find and save her wife. But is safety ever truly possible for them?
A provocative examination of suburban mores, Missing Sam captures the terror manifested in today's political climate, and the real dangers, both physical and psychological, of being brown and queer in America.
Dear Debbie
by Freida McFadden
A brand new twisted thriller that will have you cheering "good for her!" from the #1 New York Times bestselling and global sensation Freida McFadden, author of The Housemaid!
Sometimes, enough is enough...
Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction.
Or at least, she did.
These days, Debbie's life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie's done being the bigger person. She's done being reasonable and practical. It's time to take her own advice.
When I Kill You
by B A Paris
The multimillion-copy and New York Times bestseller B. A. Paris returns with a triumphant, unsettling next suspense novel, When I Kill You.
Who is watching Nell Masters?
Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she's hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.
Fourteen years earlier, when Nell went by the name Elle Nugent, she witnessed a student, Bryony Sanders, getting into a stranger's car. When Bryony was found murdered, Elle became obsessed with finding the person responsible. She was convinced she knew who it was and her fixation with Brett Parker, the man she accused, led her down a dangerous path . . .
Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic
by Bunnie Xo Bunnie Xo
From the trailer parks of Vegas to the mansions of Nashville, Bunnie Xo has lived a lot of lives and seen the darkest sides of humanity. Her memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, is cold, clear evidence that no one is irredeemable. With a heavy dose of humor and a refreshing sense of self-awareness, Bunnie pulls no punches as she shares her journey of redemption while offering some homespun wisdom to those who need a little saving themselves.
Alisa DeFord, known to her millions of fans as Bunnie Xo, started at the bottom and spent the first part of her life falling even deeper. Now, Bunnie Xo is one of today's most successful podcasters and has paved her way through the entertainment industry as the owner of Dumb Blonde Productions, building an empire with heart and personality at the forefront.
The Manual for Good Wives
by Lola Jaye
'An unforgettable voice within a breathtaking story about love, lineage, and the intergenerational effect of bravery in the face of misfortune' - Jessica George, author of Divers Book Award winning My Name is Maame
Everything about Adeline Copplefield is a lie . . .
To the world Mrs Copplefield is the epitome of Victorian propriety: an exemplary society lady who writes a weekly column advising young ladies on how to be better wives.
Only Adeline has never been a good wife or mother; she has no claim to the Copplefield name, nor is she an English lady . . .
Now a black woman, born in Africa, who dared to pretend to be something she was not, is on trial in the English courts with all of London society baying for her blood. And she is ready to tell her story . . .
From the author of The Attic Child, Lola Jaye, comes a powerful dual narrative historical novel. The Manual for Good Wives is about love, generational trauma, second chances and hope.
One of Us
by Elizabeth Day
"The thinking person's thriller. A Trojan horse of a book--part Highsmith, part Waugh--that hides within its superbly gripping plot a gimlet-eyed interrogation of class, privilege and power."
--Lucy Foley
When Fliss, the eccentric grown daughter of the powerful Fitzmaurice clan, is found dead on beach in Bali, what seems like a tragic accident stirs more suspicion than closure for those who've traded favors with--and within--her family for decades.
january Picks:
Everyday Elixirs: Mocktails, Matchas, and Seasonal Drinks to Inspire Wellness
by Blair Horton
From the holistic nutritionist behind Holistic Rendezvous, Blair Horton, a beautiful wellness-focused collection of 80 seasonal, delicious, and healthful beverage and mocktail recipes.
Whether you're looking for an alternative to an alcoholic beverage or to proactively support your wellness, holistic nutritionist Blair Horton has a tasty drink for you. In each of her 80 mocktail and beverage recipes, she deliciously features seasonal ingredients known to aid and support your health, with benefits that can boost your immunity, reduce inflammation, promote digestion, and more. Blair guides us through the seasons, starting first with foundational herbal, spiced, and floral syrups, before inviting us to find the magic in every sip:
Tasty and packed full of health benefits, these zero-proof drinks cover occasions of all kinds--a nightcap for restful sleep; a showstopping punch for the dry-bar at your holiday party; a festive nog; or a fun little drink, just because. Cheers to better health!
Detour
by Jeff Rake - Rob Hart
A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they've returned to is not the home they left behind in the first book of this emotional, mind-bending thriller series from the creator of the hit Netflix show Manifest and the bestselling author of The Warehouse.
"If The Martian and The Twilight Zone had a baby, it would be Detour--a thriller that messes with your head as you scramble to piece together what's really going on."--Steve Netter, Best Thriller Books
Ryan Crane wasn't looking for trouble--just a cup of coffee. But when this cop spots a gunman emerging from an unmarked van, he leaps into action and unknowingly saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt.
As thanks for Ryan's quick thinking, Ward offers him the chance of a lifetime: to join a group of lucky civilians chosen to accompany three veteran astronauts on the first manned mission to Saturn's moon Titan.
A devoted family man, Ryan is reluctant to leave on this two-year expedition, yet with the encouragement of his loving wife--and an exorbitant paycheck guaranteeing lifetime care for their disabled son--he crews up and ventures into a new frontier.
Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy
by Chris Duffy
From a comedian and host of hit TED podcast, How to Be a Better Human, a hilarious and enlightening guide to laughing your way into a fuller life
"Warning: this book may cause repeated smiling. It's a delightful read about how we can bring more levity into our lives."
--Adam Grant, author of Hidden Potential and Think Again
In his days as an exhausted fifth grade teacher, Chris Duffy taught the funniest person he's ever met: eleven-year-old Gary. Gary was the school newspaper's official food critic, blasting cafeteria pizza for looking like cardboard and opining that the baked beans weren't "beany" enough. These days, Duffy is a professional comedy writer and the host of a podcast with millions of listeners, but he's never forgotten the transformative joy of laughing with Gary during a bleak Boston winter. In Humor Me, he shares a road map for how to cultivate and strengthen a sense of humor in a challenging world.
Song of Ancient Lovers
by Laura Restrepo - Caro de Robertis
Award-winning Colombian author Laura Restrepo weaves contemporary themes and ancient myth in this story of star-crossed lovers in a world on the brink of collapse.
Retelling the mythical love story between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon in the refugee camps of the present day, Song of Ancient Lovers is a sublime ode to love and desire as forces shaping human history, with power that rivals forces of destruction.
Ethereal in its weaving of the real and the mythical, the contemporary and the ancient, this is the story of Bos Mutas, a young writer traveling from South America to northern Africa in search of traces of his obsession. His research unveils the Queen of Sheba as unyielding and committed to her independence, with remarkable influence both in her time--over Solomon and all the subjects in her expansive kingdom--and on thinkers and artists across the centuries, from Thomas Aquinas to Gérard de Nerval, Frida Kahlo to Patti Smith. He also finds traces of her influence in the magic made of devastating circumstances by women he meets on his journey, especially Zahra Bayda, a Somali midwife who has taken it upon herself to show him around.
Eat Yourself Healthy: Food to Change Your Life [American Measurements]
by Jamie Oliver
From New York Times bestselling author Jamie Oliver comes a new cookbook to help you build a celebratory relationship with nourishing food that will make you feel healthier and happier
For more than two decades, Jamie Oliver has been leading the charge on a global food revolution, aiming to improve everyone's health and happiness through food. Now, in response to the changing food environment and industry that is working against us, Jamie puts to use his nutrition diploma and chef experience to help us wrestle back control and build a celebratory relationship with good food, embracing its power to make us healthier and happier.
The Storm
by Rachel Hawkins
HURRICANE SEASON CAN BE MURDER - A January 2026 Indie Next Pick - "Sexy and full of surprises, The Storm is an ideal curl-up-by-the-fire read." --Real Simple
St. Medard's Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that's survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.
When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard's Bay on the map, she's less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn's bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn't come to St. Medard's Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she's returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.
Skylark
by Paula McLain
The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below--where a woman's quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor's dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.
1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette's efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.
1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.
December Picks:
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe: A True Crime Thriller
by James Patterson - Imogen Edwards-Jones
"Electrifying... A spellbinding new account of the star's final days by the world's greatest thriller writer." -- Daily Mail
"Entertaining...bursting with anecdotes...zippy pacing and novelistic detail. ...Readers with a soft spot for Hollywood's perennial muse will find plenty to enjoy." -- Publishers Weekly
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe is a true crime thriller about a woman who changed Hollywood history, and whose indelible image captures our imagination to this day.
In life, Marilyn Monroe's superstardom defies classification. In death, she remains shrouded in mystery.
In the months before her death, Marilyn polishes the script for her ultimately unfinished film, Something's Got to Give.
In the weeks before her death, she drinks champagne on Santa Monica Beach with the last photographer to take her picture.
In the days before her death, she's a guest of Frank Sinatra in the Celebrity Room at the Cal Neva Lodge.
In the hours before her death, she argues with US Attorney General Bobby Kennedy and his brother-in-law Peter Lawford.
In an emergency session with her psychiatrist, she confesses: "Here I am, the most beautiful woman in the world, and I do not have a date for Saturday night."
On June 1, 2026, the world celebrates Marilyn Monroe's one hundredth birthday.
Without her.
Snake-Eater
by T Kingfisher
From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an enthralling contemporary fantasy seeped in horror about a woman trying to escape her past by moving to the remote US desert--only to find herself beholden to the wrath of a vengeful god.
With only a few dollars to her name and her beloved dog Copper by her side, Selena flees her past in the city to claim her late aunt's house in the desert town of Quartz Creek. The scorpions and spiders are better than what she left behind.
Because in Quartz Creek, there's a strange beauty to everything, from the landscape to new friends, and more blue sky than Selena's ever seen. But something lurks beneath the surface. Like the desert gods and spirits lingering outside Selena's house at night, keeping watch. Mostly benevolent, says her neighbor Grandma Billy. That doesn't ease the prickly sense that one of them watches too closely and wants something from Selena she can't begin to imagine. And when Selena's search for answers leads her to journal entries that her aunt left behind, she discovers a sinister truth about her new home: It's the haunting grounds of an ancient god known simply as "Snake-Eater," who her late aunt made a promise to that remains unfulfilled.
Snake-Eater has taken a liking to Selena, an obsession of sorts that turns sinister. And now that Selena is the new owner of his home, he's hell-bent on collecting everything he's owed.
Yours for the Season
by Uzma Jalaluddin - Mindy Kaling
For an ambitious attorney and a rising-star chef, a cross-cultural fake romance takes an unexpected detour in a heartwarming and funny novel by the author of Much Ado About Nada and Ayesha at Last.
When Sameera Malik and Tom Cooke meet at a ho-hum holiday party, neither is looking for romance. Sameera's working ridiculous hours at her law firm and healing from heartache while navigating a recently resolved family estrangement. Tom's hustling to turn his social media stardom into a real career while fending off his family's demands to give up his chef dreams and move back home. The two share a few laughs and a samosa-making lesson and go their separate ways.
But when one of Tom's posts starts a viral rumor that they're a couple, he suggests they keep up the ruse for a few months. It's a good proposal, and a fauxmance will help Tom grow his popularity, and, in return, he can help Sameera land a wealthy client. The only problem? Their parents.
When Sameera's very Muslim parents insist on meeting Tom's very not Muslim family over Christmas in rural Alaska, the stage is set for misunderstandings, holiday hijinks, and an epic culture clash. As the Maliks and Cookes exchange holiday traditions and endless opinions on their children's lives, Sameera and Tom realize they have a lot in common--including an attraction that's starting to feel very real.