Welcome back to the Hearth!
This week, I’ve found three incredibly special, critically acclaimed books that explore our theme in powerful and unexpected ways. We're going on a true journey—from the raw, primal wilderness to a children's home in Ohio, and finally to the cozy Christmas markets of France.
Let's dive in.
This Week's Primal Adventure
The Borealis Queen by Henry Guard
Genre: Epic Fantasy / Primal Survival
Key Themes: Fierce Heroine, Vengeance, Non-Human Found Family
Note: Critically acclaimed by Kirkus Reviews ("VERDICT: GET IT")!
Let's start with a "cinematic, character-driven" epic. Nin is the ultimate misfit—the last of her people, captured, scarred, and hunted. This isn't a story of knights and castles; it's a raw tale of primal survival. And the "Hearth"? It’s the most unique found family I've seen: her pack is a loyal saber-toothed Smilodon and a pack of dire wolves. With a Gold Book Award and a Kirkus Accolade, this is a powerful, must-read adventure about a woman who finds her strength and her crew in the wild.
This Week's Hopeful Rebellion
Orphanland by Lauren Fischer
Genre: YA Contemporary / Mystery
Key Themes: Literal Found Family, Social Justice, Misfits
Note: #1 New Release in its category!
Next, we have a book that is the literal embodiment of "The Misfit's Hearth." The setting is a children's home—a "safe haven" for orphans of the opioid crisis. The protagonists are Willa, an orphan, and Kacey, a nonbinary teen kicked out by their family. When their home is threatened with financial ruin, these kids band together to dig up a dark town secret that could save them. It's a powerful, hopeful, and timely story about a true found family of misfits fighting to protect their home.
This Week's Cozy Holiday Romance
His Last Christmas Gift by Debra Borchert
Genre: Holiday Romance / Later-in-Life Romance
Key Themes: Second Chances, Found Family, Grief & Healing
Note: Critically acclaimed by Kirkus Reviews!
Finally, let's get cozy with a timely holiday read for a cold November night. This isn't your typical romance. It's a heartfelt story about Claire, a widow who, on a quest to uncover her late husband's secrets, finds herself an outsider in the magical Christmas markets of France. Praised by Kirkus, her journey leads her to "embrace the family she never expected to find" and opens her to the "exhilarating possibility of a later-in-life romance." It’s a beautiful, redemptive story and the perfect cozy escape.
Whether it's a primal pack, a house full of young rebels, or an unexpected new love, this week's misfits all find their hearth in the most surprising places. I hope you found a story to curl up with.
Happy reading, and I'll see you back at the Hearth next Friday.
All the best,
C.J.