From tender love stories shaped by grief to bold scholarship reclaiming erased histories, this season’s new releases span continents, identities, and generations. These books explore the complexity of desire, the power of artistic resistance, the weight of cultural memory, and the evolving definitions of family and freedom. Whether through fiction, history, or personal narrative, each work invites readers into deeply human stories that challenge, illuminate, and resonate long after the final page.
‘Moses and the Doctor’ Recounts How Dr. J and Moses Malone Changed Basketball Forever
Luke Epplin’s Moses and the Doctor: Two Men, One Championship, and the Birth of Modern Basketball revisits the electrifying partnership that reshaped pro hoops. The book traces how Julius “Dr. J” Erving, the aerial icon of the ABA, and Moses Malone, the relentless force who leapt from high school to the pros, transformed the game’s style and swagger. After dominating in rival leagues and falling short of NBA glory, the two legends united with the Philadelphia 76ers. Their combined brilliance delivered a long-sought championship and helped define a revolutionary era in basketball history.
Empower Yourself: Oludara Adeeyo’s Self-Care Deck Helps Black Women Prioritize Wellness
Oludara Adeeyo’s Self-Care for Black Women Deck offers a transformative approach to mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. Curated specifically for Black women, the 50 activity cards provide actionable ways to practice self-love, build confidence, and celebrate identity in a world that often undervalues both Black people and women.
A licensed clinical social worker and author, Adeeyo draws on her expertise in mental health and her background as a writer and editor to create tools that inspire lasting self-care habits. With this deck, Black women are encouraged to put themselves first, nurturing their well-being while living authentically.
‘Fireflies in Winter’: A Haunting Tale of Survival and Forbidden Love
Set in Nova Scotia, 1796, Fireflies in Winter follows Cora, a young orphan from Jamaica, and Agnes, a fugitive surviving alone in the wilderness. When Cora discovers mysterious tracks in the snow, their worlds collide, forging a fragile bond amidst harsh winter landscapes. As the two women navigate isolation, danger, and the weight of their pasts, they discover that love can be both a sanctuary and a threat. From the author of River Sing Me Home, this gripping novel immerses readers in a story of survival, desire, and the high stakes of freedom in a beautiful, unforgiving wilderness.
‘Forest Imaginaries’: African Novels Reimagine Worlds Through the Forest
In Forest Imaginaries: How African Novels Think, Ainehi Edoro explores how African writers use forests not merely as settings, but as dynamic spaces for creativity, politics, and innovation. Spanning indigenous narratives to contemporary science fiction, the book examines forests as living structures where history, myth, violence, technology, and magic intersect. From Chinua Achebe’s evil forest to Nnedi Okorafor’s aquatic worlds, Edoro shows how forests allow authors to unmake and remake societies, knowledge, and power. Published by Columbia University Press in January 2026, this groundbreaking work reframes African literary history and demonstrates the transformative potential of imaginative landscapes.
‘Dandelion Is Dead’: A Love Story That Blooms From Grief and Secrets
Rosie Storey’s debut novel Dandelion Is Dead: A Novel About Life delivers a witty yet tender story about love after loss. When Poppy discovers messages on her late sister Dandelion’s dating app, she impulsively agrees to meet Jake—posing as her sister on what would have been Dandelion’s 40th birthday. Sparks fly, but their growing romance is built on a fragile lie. As grief, longing, and truth collide, Poppy must decide whether to protect her sister’s memory or risk her own happiness. Storey crafts a heartfelt, modern tale about healing, courage, and second chances.
‘The Souths in Her’ Explores How Black Women Artists Turned Constraint Into Creative Power
In The Souths in Her: Black Women Writers and Choreographers and the Poetics of Transmutation, Nicole M. Morris Johnson examines how Black women artists transformed histories of displacement and restriction into bold artistic innovation. Published by Columbia University Press, the book traces connections across the U.S. South, the Caribbean, and Africa. Through close readings of figures such as Zora Neale Hurston, Katherine Dunham, Maryse Condé, Dianne McIntyre, and Ntozake Shange, Morris Johnson reveals how movement and writing intertwine as acts of resistance. The study reframes Black modernity, highlighting how embodied creativity reshaped narratives and forged liberatory cultural expression.
‘Gunk’ Explores Desire, Friendship, and Unpredictable Bonds in Brighton
In her electrifying debut, Gunk, readers meet Jules, recently divorced and working behind the bar at her ex-husband Leon’s gritty student nightclub in Brighton. Life shifts when Nim, an enigmatic eighteen-year-old, joins the team, sparking a complex connection between the women. When Nim becomes unexpectedly pregnant, Jules steps in, and their relationship deepens in ways neither anticipates. Tender, raw, and startlingly wise, the novel examines love, desire, and family in unconventional forms. With tension, intimacy, and surprising twists, Gunk delivers a fresh voice in fiction, capturing the messy, exhilarating, and unpredictable nature of human connection.
‘Mixed-Blood Histories’ Reclaims Native Americans of Mixed Ancestry in Dakota Story
Jameson R. Sweet’s Mixed-Blood Histories shines a light on mixed-ancestry Native Americans, long marginalized in historical accounts. Using legal, linguistic, and family-historical research, Sweet restores Dakota individuals of mixed heritage to the center of tribal histories, showing their full participation in culture, society, and treaty negotiations. Designated separately by U.S. law, they gained selective rights—citizenship, voting, land ownership—yet remained fully Indigenous. By revisiting key figures and events, including the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, Sweet reveals how mixed ancestry shaped Native and non-Native America, offering
‘The Big M’ Amplifies Voices Redefining Menopause Through Stories
Lidia Yuknavitch, alongside twelve acclaimed writers including Roxane Gay, Cheryl Strayed, and Julia Alvarez, delivers The Big M, an anthology that confronts menopause with humor, insight, and honesty. For readers of Kink and What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About, this collection reframes a life stage often silenced, exploring freedom, mortality, sexuality, and the patriarchy. Each story navigates bodily and emotional transformation with wit and courage, creating a chorus of voices that feel personal and universal. Celebrated for leaving readers “informed, empowered, and connected,” The Big M is a bold, long-overdue reckoning of the menopause experience.a more nuanced understanding of kinship, culture, and the making of racial hierarchies.
‘Murder Before ‘I Do” Lets Readers Crack the Case in Cozy Cranberry Creek Mystery
In Murder Before “I Do” by Rosie A. Point and Charles Timmerman, the fun of a cozy wedding collides with the challenge of a word search whodunit. Abby, maid of honor, is thrilled for her friend Rose—until the best man is found dead at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding rings vanish. Readers are invited to piece together clues alongside Abby, solving puzzles that reveal the culprit. The third installment in the Cranberry Creek Word Search Mystery series combines charm, suspense, and interactive fun, making it a delightful experience for cozy mystery fans and puzzle lovers alike.