What are the hottest upcoming 2021 new book releases you don’t want to miss this year? Uncover the most anticipated new books publishing in 2021.
Although I love finding older books that I missed, nothing is better than getting in front of the hype for a new book release. No one wants to be unfashionably late to the party… Or, boozy book club.
Plus, with so many new and upcoming 2021 book releases, how do you choose?
The upcoming 2021 new book releases won’t disappoint. I’m sharing the year’s hottest titles that I am most excited for — and think TUL readers will love, too.
Some of these upcoming book releases might top the bestseller charts. Others will remain more hidden gems.
All of 2021’s newest books will inspire and transport you to different lives, times, and destinations. The Uncorked Librarian focuses on diverse books to inspire travel.
We’ll frequently update this 2021 booklist. Be sure to check back. Let’s get started!
Don’t miss some of our lists by month, too, with even more of 2021’s best new books:
January 2021 Book Releases | February 2021 New Books | March’s 2021 Book Releases | April’s Upcoming Books | May’s Hottest New Releases | New June Books |2022 New Books Sneak Peek
Find new releases and so much more here:
- Audible Plus: From Amazon, listen to Amazon Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks. They add new titles every week.
- Book of the Month: Get the month’s hottest new and upcoming titles from Book of the Month. You might snag an early release or debut author. Along with selecting a book a month, find terrific add-ons, both trendy and lesser-known titles.
- Amazon Prime Video – Stream thousands of ad-free movies and TV series on demand with Prime Video.
- Express VPN – Using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) allows you to view movies worldwide – and they help keep your information safe. Our writers couldn’t have such diverse film reviews without using a VPN.
*Books marked with an asterisk are upcoming 2021 new book releases and ARCs that we requested in exchange for a fair and honest review or were freely gifted/offered by the author or publisher.
Please remember that for all upcoming book releases, publishing dates are subject to change.
Fall 2021 New Book Releases
September 2021 Book Releases
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Suspense Set In Scotland
Release Date: September 7, 2021
TUL: Rating 3.5 Stars
If you are looking for the perfect September 2021 book release to get you in the mood for fall, don’t miss Rock Paper Scissors. This is a keep-you-guessing haunted house novel full of twists and turns.
Reminiscent of Goodnight Beautiful, the story has multiple unreliable narrators — each with their own agenda. Everyone is pretty detestable, although you want to believe that they are good.
Adam and Amelia are trying to save their marriage with a weekend away in Scotland. Amelia won a mysterious free stay at a converted and creepy church. Something or someone is out to get them.
Full warning but not a spoiler: they also bring their dog Bob — and he will be OK…
From the moment the Wrights arrive, they realize that something is extremely wrong. With so many secrets and lies — including the lies that we tell ourselves — do we really know the person we married?
Encounter traditional anniversary gifts, white rabbits, ghost stories, and a story about stories and writers. Revenge and guilt, man… This is a slower-paced suspense novel. Amazon | Goodreads
Castaway Mountain by Saumya Roy
Nonfiction About Mumbai, India
Release Date: September 7, 2021*
TUL Rating: 4.5 Stars
For readers of Katherine Boo’s Behind The Beautiful Forevers, don’t miss one of the newest Indian books: Castaway Mountain.
Roy’s real and raw nonfiction book follows the waste-pickers in Mumbai, India. You’ll find both love and heartbreak throughout the narrative.
Similar to the Annawadi settlement that Boo studied, readers follow along with those who pick and sell trash in Deonar’s garbage mountains. We meet Farzana, a young woman on the brink of 18.
At first, Farzana’s obsession with picking trash seems like a strong work ethic and must for survival. Farzana always had such little interest in school.
Soon, though, everyone believes that the mountains have possessed Farzana’s soul. How will she ever get married or have a life away from the mountains?
Mental health concerns and disease plague her. When a truck runs over Farzana while she is sorting trash, doctors fear she won’t live.
We also follow along with Farzana’s family, friends, and community. All are trying to survive in numerous ways — financially, in their marriages, and in upward mobility.
Add in the politics surrounding Deonar’s dumping grounds, and you have a frustrating and scary situation.
Castaway Mountain is a must-read upcoming September 2021 book release that will teach you about socio-economic barriers, politics, and pollution in India.
This is unique narrative nonfiction about impoverished communities set against the stark contrast of the rich and their discarded trash. The metaphors are endless just like the trash. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
On Location by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Multicultural Romance Set In Utah
Expected Release: September 21, 2021*
TUL Rating: 4-Stars
Last year, we named Sarah Smith’s Simmer Down as one of the best romances of 2020. While Simmer Down took us to Maui’s beautiful beaches and food truck scene, On Location is an ode to the national parks, specifically in Utah.
Alia Dunn has spent years working her way up the TV production scene ladder — and it hasn’t been easy. Full of sexism and bias, Alia is finally able to produce her own show.
The national parks in Utah hold a special place in her heart, and Alia wants nothing more than to honor her Filipina grandmother.
Unfortunately, Alia has no sway in choosing the host, and Blaine is a hot ass mess from hell. Add in that the hunk who stood her up back in NYC is on the filming crew, and Alia has to work (and breath) hard to keep it together.
True to Smith’s iconic style, find a sexy romance, feminism, and a nod to family, culture, and healthy relationships — at work, home, and in love.
TUL readers will especially love traveling across Utah for breathtaking sunrises, strenuous hikes, and small-town exploration, beer included. We always champion a feel-good, travel-y read. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Summer 2021 Book Releases
August 2021 Book Releases
We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz
Suspense & Mystery Set In Cambodia, Chile, & Wisconsin
Release Date: August 3, 2021
TUL Rating: 3.5 Stars
If you are looking for suspense-filled August 2021 book releases, head to Cambodia and Chile.
Best friends Emily and Kristen are adventurous female travelers. However, their one-night-stands always end up dead in their path.
Are these random accidents of self-defense or is something more sinister at play here?
Back in Wisconsin, Emily questions why Kristen’s life is filled with so much tragedy. What Emily begins to uncover as well as Kristen’s new stalking tendencies raise even more concern.
Full of creepy suspense, watch as Kristen manipulates Emily and her new beau while slowly putting together all of the pieces.
Although you might find some parts of We Were Never Here a bit slow and not quite tidied up, the last lines of this suspenseful novel will get you. If you like reading about toxic friendships, this one is for you. Amazon | Goodreads
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Multicultural Romance Set In CA
Expected Release: August 31, 2021*
TUL Rating: 4 Stars
Here at TUL, we know that our readers are huge fans of Helen Hoang. However, we have yet to read her first two books in The Kiss Quotient series.
Hoang’s newest August 2021 book release, The Heart Principle, can be read as a standalone. We struggled with this title but not because it’s bad.
The well-written romance is gripping but also intense and triggering. There is suicide ideation, depression, toxic families, cancer, and hospice care.
Violinist Anna Sun is struggling with her music after one viral performance. When her therapist suggests that she has ASD, Anna finally feels like she understands herself and her needs. But, can her family?
Anna meets Quan when her boyfriend asks for an open relationship (he really wants to screw other women). Quan is recovering from surgery and a cancer-free diagnosis. What was supposed to be a one-night stand turns into so much more.
When Anna’s dad has a stroke and she finds herself as a burnt-out and misunderstood caretaker, her entire world crumbles. Readers watch as Anna fights for herself and love.
As Hoang mentions in her author’s note, the story is part memoir. We commend Hoang for discussing societal pressures and the critical public eye.
The story emphasizes healthy sexual relationships as well as conversations and consent about what is OK for both parties. We enjoyed the in-depth and emotional romance. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing us with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So
Multicultural Short Stories Set In CA
Release Date: August 3, 2021*
TUL Rating: 4-Stars
You may recognize the name Anthony Veasna So from his The New Yorker short stories –some of which are part of this collection.
So passed away this past December from an overdose at the age of 28, making these stories some of his last words to ponder and cherish.
Readers follow young Cambodian-Americans living in California. These are the children of refugees from the Khmer Rouge genocide, and we see how their parent’s trauma affects their lives.
The past and present intersect, shaping futures and even communities. The stories dive deeply into themes of family, race, racism, sexuality, and the meaning of success.
Many of the short stories overlap, giving minor characters their time in the spotlight. We did not care for every story, but three that stood out include, “Three Women of Chuck’s Donuts,” “Superking Scores Again,” and “Human Development.”
Overall, Afterparties is a brilliant short story collection that discusses tough subjects in both a comedic and deeply reflective manner. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for providing us with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 2021 Book Releases
The Forest Of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel
WW2 Historical Fiction Set In Eastern Europe & Poland
Expected Publication: July 6, 2021*
TUL Review: Coming Soon
Kidnapped as a child from her wealthy German parents and raised in the forest, Yona realizes that the world is at war when she meets a group of Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazis.
She teaches them how to survive in the forest and leaves the group to find her father. What happens when Yona’s past is a betrayal of the present, though? Amazon | Goodreads
Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch
Mystery & Thriller Set In Namibia
Expected Publication: July 13, 2021*
TUL Review: DNF
Persephone Wilder is posing as a diplomatic American wife, and she suspects that her husband is a CIA secret agent. Persephone takes Amanda, who has also relocated to Namibia, under her wing. A story about family, careers, politics, and living abroad, this July new release had me at “Fulbright.”
Although Embassy Wife was one of my most-anticipated July 2021 book releases (and I saw the recommendation from another large book blogger), I could not finish it. I found the novel deeply problematic — within the first three chapters.
While some of the ex-pat humor is funny — yes, life in Namibia is different than America — overall, the book is insensitive and exudes privilege, racism, and stereotypes.
I kept waiting for Crouch to talk about the absurdity of ex-pat behavior — and note what was wrong in some of these American views — but no. Embassy Wife makes fun of people, their culture, and even the food in Namibia.
Since I have an ARC and am not supposed to quote from the title, just look to the school car lineup scene to start… I’d say this is how not to write ex-pat fiction 101. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura
Fiction Set In The Netherlands
Expected Release Date: July 20, 2021*
TUL Review: DNF but may return to
A woman moves from New York to The Hague to work as an interpreter at the International Court. As she makes new friends, takes on a lover, and gets to know her coworkers amidst political controversy, readers witness the personal intimacies of her life.
Originally, I was going to DNF this one. The slow pace and lack of a gripping plot was getting to me.
However, former President Barack Obama announced Intimacies as one of his summer reading picks, which has me rethinking this July 2021 book release. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead Books for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena
Murder Mystery Set In Upstate NY
Publication Date: July 27, 2021*
TUL Rating: 4-Stars
Picture a family where the children are basically hoping that their cruel father will drop dead. Not only would they gain back their sense of self-worth and hope for successful futures, but they’d also inherit millions of dollars.
This is exactly the suspenseful plot in Lapena’s Not A Happy Family. This whodunnit has far too many perfect suspects, and you will need some serious willpower not to read ahead.
Upstate New York’s Brecken Hill is where it is at for wealthy and aspiring elite families. Fred and Sheila Merton are most definitely rich. Unfortunately, money can’t buy bliss, love, or emotional stability.
Fred is awful to his children. At their annual Easter dinner, he annihilates all three of them in front of their partners.
The children may be different in their careers and personalities, but they share one thing in common: Their disdain for Fred Merton.
That evening, both Mertons are savagely murdered, leaving the kids as suspects. It doesn’t help that their beloved childhood nanny tampered with the scene.
True to their character, they all lie to the police about the course of events and their whereabouts. Their spouses are torn and confused.
We aren’t sure there is a character you’ll trust or actually like but that’s the brilliance of Not A Happy Family. You’ll eat up this fast-paced, psychological New York thriller that has you guessing the murderer from page one. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for providing us with a free advanced digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Save These Upcoming 2021 New Book Releases For Later
June 2021 New Book Releases
The One Hundred Years Of Lenni And Margot by Marianne Cronin
Women’s Friendship Fiction
Expected Publication: June 1, 2021
Doctors tell seventeen-year-old Lenni that she is dying. Lenni lives in the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital and meets 83-year-old Margot in an arts and crafts class. Both are determined to leave their mark on the world before they die. Amazon | Goodreads
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Contemporary Women’s Fiction Set In Malibu
Expected Publication: June 1, 2021*
TUL Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Author of Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid, is back at it with one of the most anticipated 2021 book releases of summer.
You are invited to an end-of-summer party in Malibu. Each of these famous siblings is facing their own problems and secrets that begin to surface during one fiery evening. Amazon | Goodreads
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Literary Cult Fiction Featuring Greek Mythology & Set In The UK (Cambridge)
Publication: June 15, 2021
TUL Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Our June 2021 Book Of The Month Selection, if you enjoy books about cults or light Greek mythology, grab a copy of The Maidens. We have yet to read Michaelides’s The Silent Patient, but we were not disappointed by his signature surprise and twisted ending.
A novel set mostly at Cambridge, watch as a young and impressionable cult of women hang on a handsome professor’s every word. When these young undergrads end up brutally murdered, one by one — just like the Greek tragedies that they are studying — the murderer seems quite obvious. But is it ever really that simple?
As Mariana fails at overcoming the death of her husband in Naxos, she can’t help but think that she is cursed. Can Mariana solve the mystery before the murderer comes for her? This is a nail-biting June 2021 book release. Amazon | Goodreads
Grab our Complete June Reading List here.
Spring’s Most-Anticipated Upcoming 2021 New Book Releases
Books Releasing In May 2021
The Most Beautiful Girl In Cuba by Chanel Cleeton
Biographical Historical Fiction Set In Cuba
Expected Release Date: May 4, 2021*
TUL Rating: 3.5 Stars
Inspired by true events and the infamous life of Evangelina Cisneros, watch as three revolutionary women fight for freedom. Cisneros is wrongfully imprisoned in a women’s jail, and an American reporter works to set her free. Amazon | Goodreads
Arsenic And Adobo by Mia P Manansala
Suspense & Filipino-American Mystery
Expected Release: May 4, 2021
TUL Rating: 3.5 Stars
What happens when your ex-boyfriend/food critic ends up dead after a confrontation? Can Lila clear her name and save her aunt’s struggling restaurant? Amazon | Goodreads
Gilded Age Cocktails by Cecelia Tichi
Nonfiction Cocktail Recipe Book & U.S. History
Expected Release May 4, 2021*
TUL Rating: 3.5 Stars
Learn the history behind the cocktails, their patrons, and the bartenders during the Gilded Age in the United States. Amazon | Goodreads
People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
Rom-Com Set In NYC
Expected Release May 11, 2021*
TUL Rating: 3 Stars
From the author of Beach Read, even though she has her dream travel job, Poppy isn’t happy. Can Poppy repair her relationship with Alex and find travel inspiring once again? Amazon | Goodreads
Last Summer At The Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland
Literary & Family Fiction Set In The Catskills, NY
Release Date: May 18, 2021
TUL Rating: 4-Stars
If you are looking for a May 2021 book release to kick off your summer reading, take a family vacation in the Catskills at The Golden Hotel.
All of the wealthy families used to flock to The Golden Hotel for reunions, cheesy contests, and a break from the real world. Unfortunately, The Golden Hotel’s two managing families, the Goldmans and Weingolds, have failed to keep up with the times. WiFi, anyone?
With the hotel losing money, the owners must decide if they will sell this iconic Catskill getaway. As the families meet for one last hurrah to vote, their secrets and dreams unfold. Will the hotel become a casino?
Most importantly, we meet the owners’ children. Can these Millenials preserve the legacy of their youth? Do they even care?
If you crave generational family stories, endless nostalgia, and hotel-set books, you’ll enjoy this slow-burn, upcoming 2021 book release. Amazon | Goodreads
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
LGBTQ+ Family Fiction Set In Palm Springs, CA & CT
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
TUL Rating: 4 Stars
The Gungle is one of those May 2021 book releases that I picked up much later in the year because #bookstagram made me do it. I have no regrets.
With the death of their mother, Maise and Grant are sent to temporarily live with GUP — Gay Uncle Patrick — while their dad goes to rehab.
Patrick is an out-of-work TV star overcoming his own grief after the tragic death of his partner.
Hilarious but also heart-wrenching and deeply touching, watch everyone’s transformation as they navigate all that life has thrown at them.
You’ll cry, cheer, and most definitely require a pink Christmas tree in the middle of the year along with ‘lupper.’ Don’t forget those cotton candy mustaches.
We all need a Guncle like Patrick. Find a powerful California-set novel about overcoming grief and themes of family, identity, happiness, and love.
The Guncle is one of the sweetest 2021 new releases we’ve read. Read more books with older protagonists. Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Grab our Complete May 2021 Book Releases Reading List Here.
Upcoming April 2021 New Book Releases
The Perfect Marriage by Adam Mitzner
Domestic Thriller Set In NYC
Publication: April 1, 2021
TUL Rating: 3 Stars
A Whodunit domestic thriller, James and Jessica Sommers know that they have the perfect marriage. Too bad they cheated on their spouses to make it happen. Now karma or one ticked-off person is out to get them. The suspects are quite plentiful. Amazon | Goodreads | Read More
The Elephant of Belfast by S. Kirk Walsh
WW2 Historical Fiction Set In Ireland
Expected Release Date: April 6, 2021
Inspired by Denise Austin, meet Irish zookeeper, Hettie Quin. Hettie works for the Bellevue Zoo in Belfast. With the 1941 German blitz of the city, Hettie is determined to save her elephant. Amazon | Goodreads
The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen
WWII Historical Fiction Set In Italy
Expected Release Date: April 13, 2021
Caroline Grant heads to Venice, Italy to scatter her great-aunt, Lettie’s, ashes. Lettie arrived in Venice in the late 1930s hoping to connect with the man she loved. Unfortunately, his future was already set. Armed with three keys and a sketchbook, Caroline learns more about her great-aunt as well as herself. Amazon | Goodreads
Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri
Translated Italian Literature
Expected Release: April 27, 2021*
The first novel Lahiri has written in Italian and translated into English, explore the story of an everyday woman who receives a change of perspective. Lahiri’s The Namesake is one of my all-time favorite books. Amazon | Goodreads | Read More
Grab all of the April 2021 Book Releases We Think You’ll Love.
Winter’s Most-Anticipated 2021 New Book Releases
March 2021 New Book Releases To Love
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Historical Fiction Set In London
Expected Publication: March 2, 2021*
In 18th-century London, Nella sells secret poisons to women who need protection from abusive and oppressive men. In present-day London, Caroline receives a clue to the historic and unsolved apothecary murders. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information
Klara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Contemporary Fiction
Expected Release: March 2, 2021
Klara is an Artificial Friend — a human-like robot designed for a child. When she goes home with Josie, who is ill, Klara asks the sun to help. Amazon | Goodreads
The Soul Of A Woman by Isabel Allende
Nonfiction Feminist Theory and Memoir
Expected Release: March 2, 2021
Watching her mother raise three children alone and growing up in the 1960’s second wave of feminism, Allende hopes to light a fire for women today about how to love, live, and have control over their lives. Amazon | Goodreads
Later by Stephen King
Paranormal Thriller Set In New York
Expected Publication: March 2, 2021
Jamie has the ability to see and learns things that others cannot. An NYPD detective draws Jamie into a case, forcing him to grow up more quickly. Amazon | Goodreads
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
WWII Historical Fiction Set Across Europe
Expected Release Date: March 9, 2021*
One of our most-anticipated WWII 2021 new book releases, The Rose Code follows three women recruited to help crack German military codes. War and betrayals test their friendship. When the women reunite, they must crack one more code as Britain prepares for a royal wedding. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information
Explore even more great friendship books during WWII and more.
How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
Cultural Heritage Fiction Set In Africa
Expected Publication: March 9, 2021
Pushed back from 2020, the land in the (fictional) African village of Kosawa is destroyed by an American oil company. Watch as the people of Kosawa fight back against corruption and colonialism. Amazon | Goodreads
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Multicultural YA
Expected Release Date: March 16, 2021*
After witnessing a murder, Daunis goes undercover for the FBI. She finds herself torn apart from her community, the Ojibwe reservation, her crush on Jaime, and a potentially deceiving and harmful investigation. Amazon | Goodreads | Read More
Explore even more Indigenous authors and their novels.
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline
World War 2 Historical Fiction Set In Italy
Expected Publication: March 23, 2021
Three best friends – Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro – and all that they know is tested when the Nazis invade Rome. Spanning across decades, watch as anti-Semitism and fascism penetrate the streets of Italy and the effects of war on friendships and families. Amazon | Goodreads
See all 18 of our Most-Anticipated March Books.
Best Books Releasing In February 2021
The Four Winds By Kristin Hannah
Historical Fiction Set In Texas
Expected Release Date: February 2, 2021
It’s 1934 in Texas during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl Era. Elsa Martinelli must decide if she’ll stay at fight or move further out west. Amazon | Goodreads
Four Hundred Souls edited by Ibram X. Kendi & Keisha N. Blain
Black & African American History
Expected Publication: February 2, 2021
Four Hundred Souls is a volume of 90 writers that each talk about 5 years of African American and Black history in a 400-year span. Amazon | Goodreads
This Close To Okay by Leesa-Cross Smith
Southern Fiction Set In Kentucky
Expected Publication: February 2, 2021
Newly divorced Tallie Clark is heading home when she saves a man from jumping off of a bridge. He doesn’t know that she is a therapist. Told through both of their perspectives, these two strangers help each other through a powerful weekend. Amazon | Goodreads
The Project by Courtney Summers
YA Thriller Set In Upstate New York
Expected Publication: February 2, 2021*
TUL Rating: 5 Stars
You know me and cult fiction…When their parents die, Lo’s sister Bea joins The Unity Project — a cult disguised as a seemingly charitable organization. Can Lo expose the group or will she fall under its leader’s charm? This is fast-paced thriller with an ending that’s expected but still shocking. Amazon | Goodreads | Read More
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
WW2 Historical Fiction Set In Paris
Expected Publication: February 9, 2021*
TUL Rating: 4 Stars
Pushed back as a 2021 book release, The Paris Library is based on a true story of a group of librarians that join the French Resistance during WW2. Flash forward to Montana in 1983 to learn more about Odile’s past during the war. If you love books about librarians, you’ll swoon for The American Library In Paris. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information | Read more books about Paris, France
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
YA Vietnamese-American Rom-Com
Expected Release Date: February 9, 2021*
My Rating: DNF
Bao Nguyen works at his parent’s pho restaurant and considers himself pretty average. Linh Mai is the exact opposite and would love to pursue a career in art instead of working for her family’s pho restaurant. The two restaurants are rivals, but what happens with these teenagers fall for each other? Amazon | Goodreads
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
YA Fantasy Set In/Inspired by West Africa
Expected Release: February 9, 2021*
TUL Rating: 5 Stars
One of the most-anticipated fantasy 2021 new book releases, Deka fails her blood ceremony. She must decide if she wants to accept a fate worse than death or fight for the emperor in an army of young women. Feminism meets fantasy in a thrilling new monster book series. One of my favorite of 2021, so far. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→
The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron
WW2 Historical Fiction Set In Paris
Expected Publication: February 16, 2021
Head to Paris in 2021 WWII book release, The Paris Dressmaker. Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazis, meet two women fighting in the war effort through the fashion of the elite. Amazon | Goodreads
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
WW2 Historical Fiction Set In England
Expected Release Date: February 23, 2021
Four women compete for a spot to host a WW2 cooking program sponsored by BBC, The Kitchen Front. Watch as a young widow, kitchen maid, lady of the manor, and trained chef compete to better their lives. Amazon | Goodreads
While Paris Slept by Ruth Druart
WW2 Historical Fiction Set In CA and Paris
Expected Release Date: February 23, 2021
Set in 1953 Santa Cruz and 1944 Paris and told through two different perspectives, a young Jewish woman pushes a baby into the arms of a railroad worker. Their lives are forever changed. Amazon | Goodreads
Uncover all of February’s most-anticipated new books.
January’s Newest Books
Your Story, My Story by Connie Palmen (Translated by Eileen J. Stevens & Anna Asbury)
Biographical Fiction
Expected Publication: January 1, 2021
TUL Rating: 4.5 Stars
I grabbed a copy of My Story, Your Story from Amazon’s December First Reads. Palmen tells a fictionalized story of Ted Hughes’s fiery and manic relationship with Sylvia Plath –through his eyes. Amazon | Goodreads | Read More→
Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson
WWII Historical Fiction Set In Italy
Expected Release Date: January 5, 2021
Antonina Mazin has one chance to survive when the Nazis invade Italy. She leaves Venice to hide in the countryside with Nico Gerardi. They pretend that they are married to survive, but is it convincing enough to save them? Are they hiding secrets from each other? Amazon | Goodreads
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
YA Greek & Roman Fantasy Set In NYC
Expected Release: January 5, 2021
One of the 2021 new book releases that looks amazing in mythological fantasy includes Bracken’s Lore. As punishment for their rebellion, nine Greek gods are banished to earth as mortals. Blood descendants hunt the gods hoping to gain their powers. Amazon | Goodreads
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
Gothic Southern Thriller & Women’s Fiction | Book Set In Alabama
Expected Release Date: January 5, 2021
Jane pursues the wealthy and recently widowed Eddie Rochester. However, his wife just won’t stay buried, and Jane’s worried that she won’t measure up. Will Jane get caught with her own schemes? Amazon | Goodreads
Nick by Michael Farris Smith
World War 1 Pre-Classic Gatsby ‘Retelling’
Expected Release Date: January 5, 2021
Before moving to Gatsby’s West Egg, Nick Carraway fights in WW1. Returning home, he heads to Paris and New Orleans where he finds alcohol, romance, and heartbreak. Amazon | Goodreads
People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd
Social Media Thriller Set In London
Expected Publication: January 12, 2021*
TUL Rating: 3.75 Stars
One of the first 2021 new book releases I’ve read, People Like Her will creep you out if you are a blogger and Instagrammer like me. InstaMom Emmy Jackson is a popular mom influencer. Her popularity isn’t always good, though, and she seems to have a revenge-seeking stalker… Amazon | Goodreads | Read More→
Waiting For The Night Song by Julie Carrick Dalton
Literary Fiction Set In New Hampshire
Expected Publication: January 12, 2021*
TUL Rating: 3 Stars
Waiting For The Night Song has been compared to Where The Crawdads Sing. Cadie Kessler must face a dark childhood secret while trying to protect the people and places that she loves. If you love nature and forestry, you’ll love spending a youthful summer in New Hampshire. Amazon | Goodreads | Read More→
Beauty Among Ruins by J’nell Ciesielski
WW1 Historical Romance Set In Scotland
Expected Publication: January 12, 2021*
TUL Rating: 5 Stars
A Beauty and the Beast retelling set in Scotland during the Great War. Watch as a socialite attempts to save a crumbling castle and its brooding owner while helping soldiers heal. Amazon | Goodreads | Read More
Worried you missed 2020’s best books? Head over to our Best Of 2020 book list to see which books we devoured.
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
YA 20th Century Historical Fiction Set In Mississippi
Expected Release Date: January 12, 2021
One of the YA 2021 new book releases that I am most anticipating is Thomas’s Concrete Rose. Set 17 years prior to the events in The Hate U Give, Maverick Carter deals drugs for the King Lords to support his family. At 17 and now with a child of his own on the way, he decides that he wants to forge a new path. Amazon | Goodreads
The Children’s Train by Viola Ardone & Translated by Clarissa Botsford
WW2 Historical Fiction Set In Italy
Expected Publication: January 12, 2021
Inspired by true events, this upcoming 2021 WW2 book release shares the story of children sent from poverty-stricken southern Italy to the north. With a chance at a better future and a safer winter, Amerigo decides to become a permanent part of his new adoptive family, leaving behind his biological family. Amazon | Goodreads
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
Historical Fiction Set In Virginia
Expected Publication: January 12, 2021
Born and raised on a plantation in Virginia, Pheby is set apart from the others because of her mother’s position as a medicine woman. Instead of her promised freedom, though, Pheby finds herself in a cruel jail trying to survive. Amazon | Goodreads
Enjoy The View by Sarah Morgenthaler
Rom-Com Set In Alaska | Book 3
Expected Publication: January 19, 2021*
TUL Rating: 4 Stars
Last year, I fell in love with Morgenthaler’s Moose Spring series, The Tourist Attraction and Mistletoe & Mr. Right. While you should consider reading the entire series, you don’t have to in order to pick up any of the novels. River Lane is set to film a documentary in Moose Springs, Alaska. Of course, this is Moose Springs and locals vs tourists have always been a thing. What happens when River begins falling for one of the GIANT locals with an even bigger heart? Amazon | Goodreads | Read More→
You can see 20 top January 2021 upcoming new book releases here.
The Ardent Swarm by Yamen Manai
Translated by Lara Vergnaud
Book Set In North Africa | Translated Literature
Expected Translated Publication: February 1, 2021
Original French Publication: 2017
TUL’s Rating: 5 Stars
An allegory set in North Africa, watch as a lovable beekeeper tries to save his bees from murder hornets as his country struggles with their first democratic elections. A brilliant and powerful short read. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→
The Removed by Brandon Hobson
Inspired by Cherokee Folklore | Book Of The Month | Book Set In Oklahoma
February 2, 2021
TUL Rating: 4 Stars
A somber and obscure yet beautiful novel, Hobson tells the horrific tale of how soldiers brutally removed Cherokee families from the land. After Ray-Ray is murdered at the hands of a racist police officer, his family cannot overcome their grief and addiction. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→
Save This Post For Later
What upcoming 2021 new book releases are you most anticipating?
What new books you are most looking forward to? If you read advanced copies, tell us what you are reading. What can we add to our radar?
Be sure to check out our most-anticipated 2022 book releases and upcoming 2023 book releases.
Loving These 2021 New Book Releases? Don’t Miss:
Join Our Uncorked 2021 Reading Challenge
Most-Anticipated 2021 WW2 Fiction
Best New Books Of 2020
Upcoming 2021 Book Releases By Month:
January Books
February’s Releases
March New Books
April’s Book Releases
May 2021 Book Releases
June’s New Summer Books
Christine Frascarelli
Christine (she/her) is the owner, lead editor, and tipsy book sommelier of The Uncorked Librarian LLC, an online literary publication showcasing books and movies to inspire travel and home to the famed Uncorked Reading Challenge.
With a BA in English & History from Smith College, an MLIS from USF-Tampa, and a U.S. Fulbright Fellowship in Christine's back pocket, there isn't a bookstore, library, or winery that can hide from her. Christine loves brewery yoga, adopting all of the kitties, and a glass of oaked Chardonnay. Charcuterie is her favorite food group.
Brownie
Friday 30th of July 2021
Add Petrichor by Ash Gabrieli to your list. It is based on true story. Fast and meaningful read.
Christine
Friday 30th of July 2021
Thank you for the 2021 book suggestion!
Sam T
Friday 1st of January 2021
I'm so excited for all of this - so much to add to my list! I've read The Gilded Ones and LOVED IT. I feel like I waited forever for it?! The other one I read was A Pho Love Story. My dad's Viet/Chinese so I felt all of this and the writing was UH-MAZING. Shared it with all of my cousins :)
But now there's a bunch of 2021 books I have to request Arcs for!
Christine
Sunday 3rd of January 2021
I just started A Pho Love Story -- but so far, I sadly have not been able to get into it -- ek! It feels a bit younger than I was expecting, and I'm not sure the characters are fleshed out enough, for me. I am glad that you loved it, though. It's a super cute plot. AND PHO!
2021 has a ton of fabulous books! Happy reading!
Sarah
Wednesday 23rd of December 2020
Wow, so many amazing sounding books coming out next year. I am so glad you share these lists, as I don't entirely pay a ton of attention to new releases so I might have missed hearing about some of these. I will have to add a few of these to my TBR. I'm looking forward to checking back later and seeing what new releases for the second half of the year look like.
Christine
Monday 28th of December 2020
Yes! I will definitely add the new books as they come, too. I try not to get too far ahead with the new book releases just because the further out you go this early on, the more the dates change (I learned this the hard way last year lol). I'm going to try to add a few more summer and fall ones this week, though. I want to know what to look for ASAP. Thanks so much!
Eline @ Lovely Audiobooks
Saturday 12th of December 2020
Great list of 2021 book releases! I'm looking forward to Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert. Her Brown Sisters books have been among my most favorite books in 2019 and 2020. I think you'd like them, too :-)
Christine
Sunday 13th of December 2020
I'll have to check them out. Thanks so much for the book recommendations. Cheers to 2021!
Robin
Thursday 10th of December 2020
Thanks for the great post! I love seeing what's going to be released. There's so many great ones, how can I possibly pick?? I hope Santa brings me some gift certificates :). I'm definitely looking foward to diving into many of these. Thanks again!
Christine
Friday 11th of December 2020
Yes, I hope Santa brings me some gift certificates, too, and a BOTM renewal lol! Happy Holidays, and Happy Reading.