Wondering what to read now? Here are all the hot new November & December 2022 book releases for you. I’ll let you know what I’ve read, what I can’t wait to read, and what’s getting all the attention this month.
In case you’re new to Booklist Queen, every month I cover all the hottest new book releases. I try to read as many new book releases as I can to give you an honest perspective on what to read and what to skip.
However, I realize that my to-read list might not exactly match yours. That’s why I’ve also included some of the most popular November & December 2022 book releases from your favorite authors.
Enough from me. Let’s get on to the November & December 2022 book releases so you can fill up your to-read list.
Top November & December 2022 Book Releases
The Light We Carry
Michelle Obama
In an uncertain world, former First Lady Michelle Obama teaches strategies to help you find hope and balance. Instead of cliche affirmations, Obama digs deep into the conversation about difficult topics and finds practical wisdom to help readers cope. With insightful stories and usable tools, Obama hopes to empower readers to find connections in an ever-changing world.
I was not interested in Michelle Obama’s newest book, fearing it would be another cliche celebrity self-help book. However, I wasn’t going to turn down a free copy, and to my surprise, I found I had completely misjudged Obama’s book. First off, Obama is an excellent writer and completely relatable, which I should have known since I loved Becoming. Instead of tips and tricks, Obama shares wisdom as if from an aunt – life lessons that have helped her cope with life’s uncertainties.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crown Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 15 November 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
Matthew Perry
Known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, Matthew Perry gives a behind-the-scenes look at the hit sitcom. Yet, while his career was hitting a high, Perry struggled through some of his darkest days. In this candid memoir, Perry discusses his lifelong battle with addiction and the persistence, hope, and friends who helped him along the way.
A World of Curiosities
Louise Penny
In the 18th book in the series, Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir are worried when the children of a murdered woman return to Three Pines. Why are they back and has their mother’s murder damaged them beyond repair? Meanwhile, Gamache discovers a 150-year-old letter from a stone mason about a bricked-up attic. When the room is discovered, the villagers open it up to find a room of curiosities and hidden messages.
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
Lisa Unger
A weekend getaway turns into a nightmare when three couples rent a remote luxury cabin in the woods. With a storm brewing and a rather persistent host, Hannah’s birthday weekend is off to a terrible start when the cabin’s personal chef reveals the cabin’s spooky history. As long-buried secrets come to light, the friends must decide how much they can trust each other.
If you want a good fall thriller to curl up on the couch with as the weather starts to cool, Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six delivers a fun, yet unmemorable, read. The plot is over-the-top and complicated, with backstories of mystery characters involving DNA testing and a serial rapist. By the end, you basically hate everyone. Still, the twists and turns keep you guessing and provide some mindless entertainment to enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 8 November 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Stella Maris
Cormac McCarthy
After a sixteen year hiatus since winning the Pulitzer Prizer for The Road, Cormac McCarthy stunned the publishing world by announcing two books coming out this fall. Last month, he released The Passenger, the first in a two-part series about Bobby Western, a diver investigating a sunken jet while haunted by his past. In the sequel, twenty-year-old Alicia Western, a doctoral candidate, is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Through her psychiatric transcripts, Alica ponders her life and the purpose of life while refusing to talk about her brother Bobby.
The Personal Assistant
Kimberly Belle
Alex’s unexpected rise as a social media influencer would never have been possible without the help of her personal assistant AC. Just as a controversial post she swear she didn’t write turns her audience against her, Alex’s assistant disappears. As things keep getting worse for Alex’s family, she digs into the identity of the woman who knew everything about her life. But when a woman is found murdered, Alex and her husband find themselves the prime suspects.
The Personal Assistant is the perfect thriller to read this winter. Belle’s gripping story twists your expectations and keeps you wondering How awful is the husband? As the internet trolls turn from online harassment to in-person threats, Alex experiences the worst nightmare of any influencer. My biggest complaint is that Alex is slightly more clueless than I’d like, but overall, it was a fast can’t stop turning the pages read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 29 November 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
The Light Pirate
Lily Brooks-Dalton
GMA Book Club Pick December 2022 In a Florida already wracked by climate change, Frida gives birth to baby Wanda amid a deadly hurricane. As the world continues to disintegrate, Wanda grows and adapts to an ever-changing world. Living in a community abandoned by society, Wanda seeks adventure, community, and love in a place remade by nature.
You would expect nothing less than gorgeous writing from Lilly Brooks-Dalton, author of Good Morning, Midnight. Her lyrical prose gives an added force to climate fiction, painting the end of the world with such beauty you can’t look away. The Light Pirate starts with a compelling section about the hurricane surrounding Wanda’s birth, and you are immediately drawn into the family’s struggles. As Wanda grows, you are drawing in as the world that we know vanishes, replaced by a wild future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 December 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Now Is Not the Time to Panic
Kevin Wilson
Frankie Budge is just trying to survive another lonely summer in Tennessee when she meets the new boy in town, Zeke, a talented artist. Together, they create an unforgettable poster with an enigmatic phrase and plaster it over town. Suddenly rumors begin flying and the town starts to panic, threatening to tear Frankie and Zeke apart. Twenty years later, a journalist tracks down Frankie to research the Panic, and Frankie must decide how much of the truth she is willing to tell.
The Prisoner
B. A. Paris
Always a survivor, Amelie has made it on her parents died when she was a child. After marrying a billionaire with a lavish lifestyle, Amelie wakes up a prisoner in a pitch-black room. Why has this happened? Who are her captors? And why does she begin to feel safer here than when she was with her husband?
Book of the Month – November 2022
Receiving my blue box from Book of the Month Club is a highlight of every month.
Here’s how it works – each month, they pick 5 books and you get to choose one book or skip until the next month. If you want to add any extra books, then you get them at a discounted price.
Each month is usually a mix of new releases and advance copies of unreleased books. If you are interested in joining, right now you can use my Book of the Month Club affiliate link to get your first book for $5!
The November Book of the Month selections are:
The December Book of the Month selections are:
See the Complete List of Upcoming Releases!
November GMA Book Club Pick
Someday, Maybe
Onyi Nwabineli
On New Year’s Eve, Eve’s husband Q dies by suicide. While you learn more about Eve and Q’s relationship, Nwabineli’s debut novel focuses on Eve’s complicated emotions after her husband’s death. From shock to anger to depression, Eve navigates her grief with the help of her Nigerian family and a group of loyal friends in this powerful story. Nwabineli does an excellent job with such a heavy topic, delivering a powerful but not emotional read. I felt like an outside observer of Eve’s grief, appreciating its complexity and ever-shifting tone without being drawn in myself.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 November 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Read with Jenna Book Club November 2022 Pick
The Cloisters
Katy Hays
When Ann Stillwell gets a summer job working for The Cloisters, a gothic museum studying divination, she finds she enjoys researching the history of fortune-telling and tarot cards. As Ann gets caught up in the drama of The Cloisters, she finds a 15th-century deck of tarot cards that may actually tell the future. Desperate to make an academic breakthrough, Ann must decide who she can trust and how far she is willing to go to make her name in the world.
I’ve been seeing Read with Jenna’s book club praise this book up and down social media, and I just don’t get the hype. Admittedly, Hays does a great job painting the perfect dark academia setting. However, the story itself was glacially slow, full of unlikeable characters whose motives didn’t really make sense. Unless you are obsessed with academia, I’d skip this overrated bestseller.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 1 November 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Jenna Bush Hager’s December 2022 Pick
The Secret History
Donna Tartt
The dark academia book that started it all, Donna Tartt’s debut novel is a modern Greek tragedy that details the moral fall of a group of students at a private Vermont college. Classics professor Morrow only admits a handful of select students to study Ancient Greek. After determinedly breaking into this close-knit group, Richard Papen is surprised to find a world of highly flawed characters losing their grasp on morality. Secrets, lies, betrayal, and eventually murder become justifiable actions as they slip further and further in their descent into evil.
Reese’s Book Club November 2022 Pick
Tiny Beautiful Things
Cheryl Strayed
With the announcement of the upcoming television adaptation on Hulu, Reese Witherspoon has chosen Cheryl Strayed’s advice column true stories for her November book club. Known for her stunning memoir, Wild, Cheryl Strayed used to run an anonymous advice column for The Rumpus. From love to relationships to work drama, Dear Sugar gave out heartfelt advice which she has since collected into a heartwarming book.
Reese’s Book Club December 2022 Pick
The Marriage Portrait
Maggie O’Farrell
Coming off her hit bestseller, Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell returns with another gorgeous historical fiction novel set in Renaissance Italy. When her sister dies, Lucrezia de Medici unexpectedly marries her late sister’s fiance, a man desperate for an heir. As Lucrezia ponders her new husband’s nature – whether he is a kind sophisticate or a ruthless politician – she begins to suspect he is planning to kill her. Highlighting the constrictions of life for medieval women, The Marriage Portrait‘s plot was slow to build, but the descriptive writing was captivating to read.
The Most Anticipated November & December 2022 Book Releases
The Last Invitation
Darby Kane
Over the last few years, prominent male figures have begun dying in fluke accidents and under mysterious circumstances. Behind it all is the Sophie Foundation, you meet once a week to review files of men who behave badly and mete out justice. Jessa initially jumps at the chance to join, but after having second thoughts, turns to a former friend to bring down the organization. And although they need each other, they don’t necessarily trust each other.
A Quiet Life
Ethan Joella
From the author of A Little Hope comes a powerful new novel about three individuals struggling with grief whose lives intersect in surprising ways. After the recent death of his wife, Chuck Ayers can’t decide if he should take their annual winter trip to Hilton Head without her. Ella Burke lives a quiet life delivering newspapers and working at a bridal shop, desperately waiting for news of her missing daughter. Kirsten’s dreams of becoming a vet were derailed when her father was killed in a robbery, and not she feels lost and unmoored.
The Last Party
Clare Mackintosh
During the New Year’s Day polar swim, the body of wealthy real estate developer Rhys Lloyd washes up in a small Welsh town. After an awkward one-night stand together, local detective Ffion Morgan must work with English detective Leo Brady to discover how killed Rhys. But the more they discover about Lloyd’s life, the more they realize that almost everyone has a reason to want him dead.
I attended a murder mystery event hosted by Clare Mackintosh and when I learned she is a former detective, I knew I needed to read her latest detective story. In my American ignorance, the Welsh names were impossible to pronounce and I wish I had listened to the audiobook version instead of reading it. I loved the setting, but as a whole, the book ended up being an underwhelming boilerplate mystery with glacially slow pacing and a murder victim who turned out to be too evil, the absolute scum of the earth.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from SourceBooks through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 8 November 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
The Wilderwomen
Ruth Emmie Lang
Five years ago, Nora Wilder disappeared leaving behind her two daughters, Zadie and Finn. Even though she’s a psychic, Zadie didn’t foresee her mother’s disappearance. When Finn seizes an echo of a memory of Nora, she believes their mother is still alive and convinces Zadie to accompany her on a journey into their mother’s past. But as Finn starts losing herself in Nora’s memories, Zadie must decide where to draw the line or risk losing them both.
Ruth Emmie Lang employs subtle magical realism in The Wilderwomen. Instead of X-Men-like powers, Zadie and Finn have slightly useless flashes of abilities. The plot focuses on the estranged sisters discovering their past, but I had difficulty staying engaged with the meandering story. Plus, the strange ending made the whole novel feel pointless to me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 15 November 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Scattered Showers
Rainbow Rowell
Rainbow Rowell hits the new release list with a short story collection containing nine love stories. In a selection of beautiful narratives: a girl and boy meet at a movie theater; best friends consider a high school dance; a prince romances a troll; and a girl falls in love with an imaginary boy. Plus, Rowell’s beloved character Simon Snow embarks on a holiday adventure.
The Key to My Heart
Lia Louis
With a new husband, a fixer-upper cottage, and a chance to tour with the musical she’s written, Natalie Fincher has a charmed life until her husband dies. Now a widow, Natalie’s only joy is playing the piano anonymously in the London train station. When someone starts leaving her sheet music of her husband’s favorite songs, Natalie unexpectedly finds love again.
We are the Light
Matthew Quick
After a recent tragedy, everyone in a small Pennsylvania town sees Lucas Goodgame as a hero, except Lucas. Visited every night in his dreams by his wife, the widower Lucas struggles to find meaning in his life until a grieving teenager begins camping in Lucas’ backyard. As an unlikely alliance takes place, Lucas’ act of kindness magically transforms the entire town.
All the Dark Places
Terri Parlato
In a small Massachusetts town, Molly Bradley’s friends gather to celebrate her husband Jay’s fortieth birthday. In the morning, Molly discovers Jay brutally murdered in his study. Boston Detective Rita Myers is convinced Jay was murdered by one of the party’s attendees. Now Molly is questioning everything she knew about her friends and her husband.
Screaming on the Inside
Jessica Grose
Explaining the roots of modern motherhood, Jessica Grose explains why our expectations of American motherhood today are unsustainable and harmful. Weaving her personal narrative of how pregnancy and motherhood affected her life and career, Grose points out the flaws in how the American culture perceives motherhood and what to do about it.
Lately, I have had a fascination with books about motherhood and gender equality, so Screaming on the Inside seemed right up my alley. Yet the book was only okay. Grose presents plenty of intriguing facts, but the book lacked the passion to really fire me up. In the end, I agreed with her premise, yet wasn’t left with any suggestions of what to do about any of it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mariner Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Rating:
Publication Date: 6 December 2022
Amazon | Goodreads | More Info
Popular November & December Upcoming Releases
What New Book Releases are You Most Excited to Read?
What books can you not wait to get your hands on this month? Did I miss any November or December 2022 book releases that you are anticipating? As always, let me know in the comments!
More New Book Releases:
Brenda says
Great recommendations thanks Rachael. I am reading The Muse by Jessie Burton and One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle. I’ve just finished reading The Family Remains which is the sequel to The Famy Upstairs by Lisa Jewell.
Great reading.
Gaili Schoen says
I’m super excited to read Michelle Obama’s The Light We Carry- can’t wait for that one! I didn’t know about Lauren Graham’s latest title, so thanks for that. Also looking forward to reading Before Your Memory Fades. I loved the first two books in the series about a little coffee shop in Japan where people can go to time travel. I must admit I’m interested in reading Spare, Prince Harry’s memoir, but don’t tell anyone!
Rachael says
Oh, I won’t tell anyone. Though, let’s be honest, with a title like Spare, I think EVERYONE wants to read it now!
Ann says
I am at 41 books out of the 50 book goal I am trying to reach.
Best recent reads were Demon Copperhead & The Whalebone Theatre.
Both were good. Demon Copperhead maybe not as good as I’d hoped. There was a part where I thought the adventure was going to really get started, but he stayed put. I guess that was more realistic given his circumstances.
I did not get far in The Cloisters & now regret returning The Passenger unread to the library. I forgot Stela Maris was coming out!
Currently reading Now Is Not The Time To Panic. It better get good fast!
Jenna B. Hager has just announced The Secret History as her December choice. Between that and the new John Updike: The Last Chairlift, I will be stuck in big books!!!
We’ll see if I make my 50!
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart is still my best book this year. I know the subject matter is not for everyone, but I love his writing. The book also had the best ending.