(This post first appeared on paperlanternwriters.com)
December is all about baking, family, baking, food, baking, decorations, and baking! To help with all that cooking, download PLW’s Dessert, Appetizer, and Beverages cookbooks for Free from the Paper Lantern Writers store. There’s also a Holiday Gift Guide, also for free! All for a limited time only.
The most exciting book release this month is Token of Betrayal, the debut novel of Lantern C. V. Lee. We are very proud of C.V. and excited for her to join the ranks of published authors. More about her book below!
BEST COVER
The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno (December 6)
“A bestselling Italian writer makes her American debut with this delightful dramedy of manners, family, romance, and fashion that is set on the island of Sardinia at the end of the nineteenth century—a dazzling and original literary blend of Jane Austen and Adriana Trigiani.” ~ book description
Blue is my favorite color, and the blue in this cover is wonderful, especially set off by the green cliff and colorful village. It’s a very enticing setting! I also have done needlework throughout my life, and the idea intrigues me of a seamstress hearing secrets while everyone ignores her doing her work.
BEST TITLE
The Lipstick Bureau by Michelle Gable (December 27)
“Inspired by little-known history, The Lipstick Bureau is a gripping, fascinating read about one woman’s courage and determination during WWII.” ~ Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Orphan
This novel is inspired by the real life of a female OSS spy in Italy during World War II. She has family in Czechoslovakia and a controlling American husband, and she is multilingual. Her work and her private life are a thrilling tale. The title identifies exactly what the book is about, even if modern women might be taken aback by the notion of a Lipstick Bureau.
MOST INTRIGUING
House of Daughters by Simon Choa-Johnston (December 6)
“House of Daughters is full of Chinese superstitions, religious struggle, clever wordplay, interesting metaphors and even experimental formatting. Told with heart, this novel is even more fascinating than its best-selling predecessor House of Wives.” ~ Julia Lin, V.P. of the Writers Union of Canada and author of MIAH, a collection of short stories
This novel is set in Hong Kong’s high society and based on the author’s family history. I’ve always been fascinated by family history and interested in cultures different from my own. This one promises passions and regrets, wealth and survival. It follows a junior wife as she deals with the death of her father, her husband the wealthy Jewish opium oligarch, and his senior wife.
MOST ANTICIPATED
Token of Betrayal by C. V. Lee (December 15)
“C. V. Lee’s compelling work is a must-read if you love historical novels laced with an unraveling tale of power, loyalty, love, honor, secrets, deceit, betrayal, agony, and disgrace.” ~ Readers Favorite
Set on the Isle of Jersey in 1461, C. V. Lee’s debut novel is based on the real events surrounding Sir Philippe de Carteret on the island while England is fighting the War of the Roses. The question of how much one person can alter history is raised here amidst revenge, a father’s love, and loyalty.
WORLD WAR II
Goodbye, Mersey View by Lynn Andrews (December 8)
The Circus Train by Amita Parikh (December 6)
Landscape of Shadows by Kevin Doherty (December 13)
On My Honor by Patty Smith Hall (December 1)
Scarred Dreams by Barbara Whitaker
19TH CENTURY
The Founding by Michael Ross (December 6)
All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes (December 13)
20TH CENTURY
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights by Kitty Zeldis (December 6)
The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader (December 6)
MYSTERY
Light to the Hills by Bonnie Blaylock (December 1)
Stay With Me by Jody Hedlund (December 6)
The Secret of the Lost Pearls by Darcey Wilde (December 27)
ROMANCE
In Love’s Time by Kate Breslin (December 13)
Engaging Deception by Regina Jennings (December 13)
The Book of Everlasting Things by Aanchal Mahotra (December 27)
Meriden Park by Julie Daines (December 5)
A Christmas Miracle for the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas
The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen (December 6)
The Marriage List by Ella Quinn (December 27)
Regency Christmas Parties by Annie Burrows, Lara Temple, Joanna Johnson
The Reluctant Countess by Eloisa James (December 1)
How to Win a Wallflower by Samara Parish (December 13)
RENAISSANCE
The Virgins of Venice by Gina Buonaguro (December 13)
Need more historical fiction on your TBR? See more new release titles at Historical Novel Society.
Linda Ulleseit is the award-winning author of The Aloha Spirit and Under the Almond Trees. Her next historical novel, The River Remembers, will be published in 2023. To interact with her and other historical fiction authors and readers, join PLW’s Facebook group SHINE.
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