It's official: you've made it to the end of 2020, and the best way to reward yourself is to splurge on the best new books of December [1]. The last crop of must-read books of 2020 are every bit as enticing as the ones that came before. This month brings nonfiction titles about everything [2] from antiracism to the bond between a woman and her dog and a guide to chasing your dreams. Meanwhile, on the fiction side of things, there's a moving story about a man caught between two worlds, a YA novel about a girl embracing her royal roots, and a spooky thriller that focuses on a mother who is grappling with her son's chilling imaginary friend.
Whether you want to end 2020 reading an eerily prescient dystopian novel or a YA romp about a college Quidditch team, this month's list of must-read books has you covered. And as always, if you need even more titles to add to your TBR, don't forget to check out our picks from last month [3], too.
The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister
Greer Macallister's The Arctic Fury [4] is part epic adventure and part mystery. Set in the 1850s, the novel follows female adventurer Virginia Reeve as she takes a group of women searching for their missing husbands out into the Arctic. But when only five of the women return, Virginia ends up on trial, leaving the reader to unravel the truth about what happened during the expedition.
Out 1 Dec.
The Bitterwine Oath by Hannah West
Are a group of vengeance-seeking women killing 12 men every 50 years in the small town of San Solano, Texas? That's the question at the centre of Hannah West's spine-chilling The Bitterwine Oath [5], a supernatural-tinged story about a young woman who uncovers her grandmother's dark secret.
Out 1 Dec.
The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller
Ronan Szepessy never wanted to return to his small town of Hudson, New York, but when his father becomes ill, he moves home and ends up right in the middle of a terrifying conspiracy. If you love thrillers with a supernatural bent, then The Blade Between [6] by Sam J. Miller is sure to grip you from the first page.
Out 1 Dec.
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams
How to Fail at Flirting [7] by Denise Williams is a joyful story about woman who takes a chance on love. After escaping an abusive relationship, Professor Naya Turner prefers to play it safe, but when her colleagues challenge her to step out of her comfort zone she meets a man who makes her feel alive again.
Out 1 Dec.
The Opium Prince by Jasmine Aimaq
A man is caught between worlds in The Opium Prince [8] by Jasmine Aimaq. This stunning debut focuses on Daniel Sajadi, a man with an American mother and Afghan war hero father, who relocates to Afghanistan to run an agency dedicated to eradicating the poppy fields that feed the world's opioid epidemic. However, things take a heartbreaking turn when Daniel accidently strikes and kills a young girl with his car, leaving him at the mercy of a powerful drug lord.
Out 1 Dec.
We Hear Voices by Evie Green
Prepare for major goosebumps when you read Evie Green's We Hear Voices [9]. The story focuses on a little boy, Billy, who recovers from a flu-like pandemic only to begin talking to an invisible friend that seems to be encouraging him to engage in increasingly dangerous behaviour. As Billy becomes more and more erratic, his mother begins to wonder if there's more to his invisible friend than she could have ever imagined.
Out 1 Dec.
Cross-Hairs by Catherine Hernandez
Catherine Hernandez's Cross-Hairs [10] is at once a cautionary tale and nuanced dystopian novel about the dangers of otherising people. Set in the not too distant future, mass flooding leads to homelessness and devastation that in turn emboldens a government regime known as The Boots to seize people of colour, the disabled, and members of the LGBTQ+ community and force them into labour camps. But soon a resistance led by a former drag queen named Kay, transmasculine refugee Bahadur, and social worker Firuzeh emerges in this dark, but ultimately hopeful novel.
Out 8 Dec.
The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy
The Particulars of Peter [11] by Kelly Conaboy is the feel good novel the world needs in 2020. After a year where dog owners spent more time with their four-legged pals than ever before, Conaboy's charmingly sweet exploration of her admittedly co-dependent relationship with her pup Peter is both a warm and informative look at the time-honoured bond that exists between dogs and their humans.
Out 8 Dec.
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain [12] is Nghi Vo's standalone follow-up to The Empress of Salt and Fortune. This lyrical story of the cleric Chih unraveling the story of a ravenous tiger is unforgettably original and gorgeously written.
Out 8 Dec.
The Mermaid From Jeju by Sumi Hahn
Set in the aftermath of World War II, Sumi Hahn's debut novel The Mermaid from Jeju [13] is a poetic rumination on grief and life after wartime. Goh Junja is a deep sea diver who craves to be seen as an adult by her family, but adulthood comes on much too quickly when her mother's death leaves her adrift in a world still reeling from the aftermath of war.
Out 10 Dec.
The Book of Moods by Lauren Martin
Words of Women founder Lauren Martin delves into the relationship women have with negativity in her smart and often funny self-help tome The Book of Moods [14]. Martin explores her own struggles with anxiety and feelings of inferiority, alongside the science behind moods, to offer practical advice on how to practice effective self-care when negativity starts creeping in.
Out 10 Dec.
Blowing My Way to the Top by Jen Atkin
Entrepreneur and celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin shares how she built her own brand in the insightful Blowing My Way to the Top [15]. From reckoning with her Mormon upbringing to sharing how she learned to embrace the hustle necessary to become a stylist to the stars, Atkin's funny and informative book is a must-read for anyone looking for career tips.
Out 10 Dec.
Diana Ma's new YA series kicks off with the compulsively readable Heiress Apparently [16]. When aspiring actress Gemma Huang heads to Beijing for a role, she quickly discovers she's a dead ringer for one of the city's most notorious socialites — and the reason why she looks so much like a woman she's never met leads her to a royal secret her parents have gone to great lengths to hide from her.
Out 23 Dec.
Black Canary: Breaking Silence by Alexandra Monir
Superheroes were largely forced to take a break from the box office during 2020, but you can still indulge in a thrilling superhero tale thanks to Alexandra Monir's YA novel Black Canary: Breaking Silence [17]. In a world where Gotham City has been taken over by a sinister group known as the Court of Owls, Dinah — also known as Black Canary — is ready to use her voice to fight back against their dangerous and misogynistic regime.
Out 29 Dec.
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
Inspired by the real life 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926, Marie Benedict weaves a story of intrigue and mystery in The Mystery of Mrs. Christie [18]. This compelling historical fiction novel imagines what may have happened to the famed author during her sudden disappearance and what prompted her to return claiming amnesia.
Out 29 Dec.