It’s the final countdown dun nununu! Or really more just my final predictions for the final BOTM box of 2021! December is always such a toss up when it comes to BOTM picks. December is a fairly light publishing month due to the holidays and so we tend to see some very interesting choices show up in our 5 main picks.

Last year’s picks included two early releases, a 2 thrillers, a short stories collection, and a holiday romance read that was actually an October release. Basically, I feel as if December picks are generally wildcards choices. We all always hope for at least one holiday themed pick because who doesn’t want a easy warm fuzzy read around the holiday?!

This month I think we’ll potentially see some January Releases, and at least one holiday read. There are also 3-4 early December which I’m currently making my way through, which I think would make ideal picks.

Whether or not these are actually picks, only time will tell. Even if they are not, all or most of these are on my December Most Anticipated New Releases list or will be making an appearance on my January Most Anticipated New Release list soon.

DECEMBER MOST ANTICIPATED NEW RELEASES

When the picks are announced and you find you have space in your box still, make sure to also check out my most recent version of BOTM Add-On recommendations HERE, because who couldn’t use even more books!

Keep in mind that these are simply predictions and books I hope get chosen. I could get these completely wrong but the anticipation and guessing is part of the fun right?!

Mystery / Thriller

Ah the mystery, thriller category. Always so many options to choose from. Last December we saw two mystery/thriller picks and honestly most of the new December releases I’m keeping an eye out for fall into this category as well. Which just makes it that much harder to choose which ones might be picks.

A History of Wild Places: While a Mystery has plenty of Fantasy aspects to it. The mix of the two, the fact that it’s a December 7th release, and the excellent ratings it’s getting make it a top contender for my pick. Unfortunately, this was only a 3 star read for me. Check out my review below to see why:

A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES | REVIEW

The Maid: A debut novel by the VP of Simon & Schuster Canada. It would be both a Debut read for BOTM and an early release as it’s set to release January 4th. While it’s getting rave reviews but I’m pretty indifferent to this one, see my review below to see why it didn’t deliver:

The Maid | REVIEW

The Ballerinas: Another Debut that follows three, you guessed, ballerinas through their adolescent years and the present day. It’s ultimately a story about female friendships which is very on par with many of BOTM’s picks. With a December 7th release date and it being a twisty debut, I could see this being one of our main picks. I also have an ARC of this one, which I will be posting a review for next week!

The Replacement Wife: I’ll be honest, I’m a little tired of the suspenseful stories about wives. Maybe it’s just my pregnancy hormones not being able to handle ‘crazy’ at the moment but the trope is a bit tired. However, Darby Kane’s debut was a BOTM pick last year, and I could see BOTM picking this up as a add-on.

Literary & Contemporary Fiction

Again, December is not a huge publishing month, and I didn’t find too many literary and contemporary fictions upcoming releases that I’m excited about. However, these two seem to tick the BOTM boxes.

Tell Me How To Be: Written about an Indian-American family, this debut is a mother-son story about coming to terms with their past and embracing the lives they lead. It has a big LBGT focus and while it’s said to have some dark humor, most reviewers are commenting on the heaviness of the story. I have an ARC of this one, and hope to get to it soon.

Bright Burning Things: The story takes a deeper look at addiction and mental health. I think it would be a great BOTM pick.

Fantasy & Science Fiction

The School for Good Mothers: Releasing in January 2022, this one sounds right up BOTM’s alley. It’s a debut and has a large focus on motherhood. And while it’s set in an alternative world, I think this highlights quite a few things going on in our society today. I have an ARC and plan to read this one in the upcoming weeks.

Historical Fiction

Beasts of a Little Land: An epic December Debut, that is set against the Korean Independence movement. I am so excited to read this story, and have an ARC waiting for me to get to.

The Spanish Daughter: An Own Voices historical fiction novel set in both Spain and Ecuador. I just was approved an an ARC of this read as well, and I’m very excited to get to it.

Small Things Like These: I don’t fully think this will be a pick as it’s a novella, however this sounds like it would perfectly fall into the Christmas theme. It’s getting some fabulous reviews and it could be a wildcard pick for BOTM.

Romance

All of my predictions for romance reads fall into the Holiday category! They’re light, festive, and all are available already. Given what happened with last year’s holiday pick, one of these could be making an appearance.

I hope you found a book that you are truly excited about in this post. Let me know which other new releases you are excited for this month or that you’re hoping are BOTM picks, by commenting below or by messaging me on Instagram @speakingof_books. Don’t forget to follow me to get weekly updates and new reviews!

Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and recommendation. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.