5 new books you won't want to miss this week, including Danica Patrick's workout guide

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USA TODAY’s Jocelyn McClurg scopes out the hottest books on sale each week.

1. Pretty Intense by Danica Patrick (Avery, non-fiction, on sale Dec. 26)

What it’s about: Patrick revs up the intensity as the New Year looms, offering a 90-day plan of workouts and recipes for getting into shape.

The buzz: The high-profile NASCAR driver announced in November that she’s retiring from racing, except for two iconic events in 2018: the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500.

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A group of NASCAR drivers discuss the accomplishments of Danica Patrick. USA TODAY Sports

2. Death at Nuremberg by W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV (Putnam, fiction, on sale Dec. 26)

What it’s about: In 1946, special agent James Cronley is assigned to protect the U.S. chief prosecutor during the Nuremberg trials from a possible Soviet kidnapping plot, and to dismantle Odessa, a rumored pipeline for Nazi war criminals trying to escape to South America.

The buzz: Griffin and Butterworth, his son, have teamed up for 12 top 50 USA TODAY best sellers.

3. Why You Eat What You Eat by Rachel Herz (Norton, non-fiction, on sale Dec. 26)

What it’s about: This book is subtitled "The Science Behind Our Relationship With Food."

The buzz: Wondering why you just can’t step away from the eggnog and the sugar cookies? Herz, a neuroscientist, explains such mysteries.

4. The Wanted by Robert Crais (Putnam, fiction, on sale Dec. 26)

What it’s about: Private investigator Elvis Cole and partner Joe Pike are called in by a worried single mom when teenagers burglarizing homes in affluent L.A. neighborhoods find themselves pursued by hit men.

The buzz: “Fantastic reading,” Booklist says of the latest in a series.

5. Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris (Spiegel & Grau, non-fiction, on sale Dec. 26)

What it’s about: Harris of ABC News follows up his USA TODAY best seller 10% Happier by embarking on a road trip to convince skeptics that meditation works.

The buzz: Harris’ on-air panic attack on Good Morning America led him to meditation and spreading the word; his latest is described as “A 10% Happier How-to Book.”