New and Upcoming Books by Women to Celebrate International Women’s Day
Women writers have been at the forefront of groundbreaking literature–reinvigorating and redefining genres, shifting the way women’s stories are told, and creating more opportunities for women to thrive as published authors. In honor of International Women’s Day (March 8), Ms. Career Girl recommends 10 amazing upcoming books by women who are carrying the torch for bold and authentic storytelling.
Cheat Day by Liv Stratman
Liv Stratman’s debut novel is a witty, charming, and thoughtful story about perpetual dieter, Kit, who embarks on an extreme diet and an affair. Bored with her life and feeling stuck managing her sister’s bakery, she envies her husband who has a thriving career and jets off to exciting trips. When a carpenter named Matt is hired to build new shelves for the bakery kitchen, she falls into a flirtation and soon begins a fiery affair. Hungrier than ever, Kit explores monogamy vs. monotony, and learns to find liberation in the gray areas of life.
A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee
Miuko may live an ordinary and safe life as the daughter of an innkeeper, but she’s nothing but ordinary. Even still, she has no idea how much power she will one day wield until an unexpected curse provides her with immense demonic power. While her transformation leads to power and freedom she never even dreamed of, it’s also dangerous to those around her. As she sets out on a quest to reverse the curse, she meets a thieving magpie spirit, a demon prince, demon hunters, and feral gods along the way. Will she be ready to lose her newfound power and return to ordinary life? Or will she harness it in ways beyond her imagination?
Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson
In this modern Chicano reimagining of Romeo & Juliet, two star-crossed lovers fight for their love in the midst of gentrification, class disparity and a family taco feud. After meeting one fateful night during a Día de los Muertos celebration, Ramón and Julieta are shocked to discover that the person they had a magical night with comes from the same family that opposes them. From Julieta’s family restaurant risking closure at the hands of Ramón’s father, their families and the community could keep them apart.
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
The mysterious 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie inspires this clever and splendid psychological murder mystery. Weaving in two delicious imagined storylines, this novel is narrated by the mistress of Agatha Christie’s husband, who’s set on stealing him from her for good. As the story unfolds and two people turn up dead, we journey back into this mystery woman’s story to uncover the truth of who she is and what she wants.
The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey
This gorgeous tale follows four women across generations, tied together by a prized wedding veil and a connection to the famous Vanderbilt family. Told from the perspective of the Vanderbilt’s in 1914, and Julia Baxter in present day who just called off her marriage at the last minute, both are connected to a wedding veil that ensures a happy marriage to the women who wear it. As the story switches back and forth between timelines and families, all four women rediscover themselves and learn to forge their own paths.
Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler
After the sudden loss of her husband Tony and his estranged cousin Mia, Tam Kwan is shocked to learn she’s now the legal guardian of Mia’s five-year-old daughter. To make matters more complicated, she just received approval to adopt the son she and Tony had longed for, waiting for Tam in a Chinese orphanage. But when a long-kept secret comes to light, it threatens the bond she’s built with Angela and her late husband’s family. As she sets out to make sense of Tony and Mia’s past in China, she discovers the true meaning of love and family.
Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian
Vegas magician Tempest Raj returns home to California after a disastrous stage accident takes her career off course. Unsure of what to do next, her father pressures her to join the family business: Secret Staircase Construction. Specializing in sliding bookcases, hidden rooms and staircases, Tempest visits one of her father’s construction sites and discovers the dead body of her magic show stunt double behind a supposedly sealed wall. Could she have been the intended victim? As this twisty, thrilling murder mystery unfolds, Tempest wonders if her family’s curse could finally be coming to kill her.
Somebody’s Home By Kaira Rouda
Somebody’s home alright, and it’s not looking good for mother and aesthetician Julie Jones. Newly moved into an Oceanside home after fleeing her marriage, Julie and her teenage daughter discover that the son of the previous owners is still on the property. Over the course of just a few days, their world is turned upside down as their new beginning turns into a nightmare.
The Summer We Forgot by Caroline George
Four estranged friends must remember the summer at camp that connected them, when the body of their former science teacher turns up in the campground marsh. Together, they suspect a murderer is at large, looking to make another killer move. In order to put an end to it all, they must learn to trust each other and remember everything about that fateful summer they hoped to forget.
The Shadow House by Anna Downes
Get ready for an extraordinary thrill ride in Anna Downes latest novel, The Shadow House. After just moving into a new home in the idyllic rural community of Pine Ridge, Alex, a single mother of two, uncovers deadly secrets that she must risk everything for to bring to light. As a disturbing chain of events unfolds, each more dangerous than the last, Alex will stop at nothing to protect her family and face the dark shadows that lurk in Pine Ridge.
