10 Upcoming Releases I’m Excited For

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh | Goodreads
Publication: 8th October 2019

Synopsis: ‘In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she’s forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine becomes enamored with the vibrant city, from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city’s glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group’s leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien’s guilt, along with the shame of her own horrible secret. ‘

I’m currently reading Ahdieh’s ‘The Wrath & The Dawn’ and I am enjoying it so far. I’m really excited to see what she does with a vampire story, especially one that sounds fairly original. Also please can we bring back the vampire YA craze? I kinda miss it.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood | Goodreads
Publication Date: 10th September 2019

Synopsis: ‘When the van door slammed on Offred’s future at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her—freedom, prison or death.  With The Testaments, the wait is over.  Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead. “Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.” —Margaret Atwood’

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is one of my all-time favourite books so I’m super excited for this book. I have so many questions and hoping at least some of them get answered. Also really liking the idea of three narrators as opposed to just the one, like in the original story.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo | Goodreads
Publication Date: 8th October 2019

Synopsis: ‘Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her? Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.’

I haven’t actually read any of Bardugo’s books yet (although all of them are on my tbr) but I’ve heard such good things about her writing that I’m looking forward to this release anyway.

The Lady Rogue by Jean Bennet | Goodreads
Publication Date: 3rd September 2019

Synopsis: ‘ Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul. Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.’

Haven’t really heard much about this writer, but ‘The Lady Rogue’ just sounds so interesting so it’s automatically going my tbr for this Autumn.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black | Goodreads
Publication Date: 19th November 2019

Synopsis: ‘Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.  Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril. Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.  And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity… ‘

Is there anyone who isn’t looking forward to this release? I need to know what happens next and how this story ends. And who doesn’t love a good enemies to lovers to enemies to ??? story?

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare | Goodreads
Publication Date: 3rd March 2020

Synopsis: ‘Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague. James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love. ‘

Really looking forward to see what happens next to Will, Tessa and Jem, and what happens with the next generation. Although I am super behind with the Shadowhunters books so part of me is somewhat happy that the publication date’s been pushed back as I’ll have longer to catch up.

The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave | Goodreads
Publicaton Date: 19th September 2019

Synopsis: ‘They say the thirst of blood is like a madness – they must sate it. Even with their own kin. On the eve of her divining, the day she’ll discover her fate, seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community. Forced to work in the harsh and unwelcoming castle kitchens, Lil is comforted when she meets Mira, a fellow slave who she feels drawn to in a way she doesn’t understand. But she also learns about the Dragon, a mysterious and terrifying figure of myth and legend who takes girls as gifts.They may not have had their divining day, but the girls will still discover their fate… ‘

Vampires? Feminist re-imagining of Dracula? Focusing on the brides of Dracula? Yes please.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas | Goodreads Publication Date: 3rd March 2020

Synopsis: ‘Half-Fae, half-human Bryce Quinlan loves her life. By day, she works for an antiquities dealer, selling barely legal magical artifacts, and by night, she parties with her friends, savouring every pleasure Lunathion—otherwise known as Crescent City— has to offer. But it all comes crumbling down when a ruthless murder shakes the very foundations of the city—and Bryce’s world. Two years later, her job has become a dead end, and she now seeks only blissful oblivion in the city’s most notorious nightclubs. But when the murderer attacks again, Bryce finds herself dragged into the investigation and paired with an infamous Fallen angel whose own brutal past haunts his every step. Hunt Athalar, personal assassin for the Archangels, wants nothing to do with Bryce Quinlan, despite being ordered to protect her. She stands for everything he once rebelled against and seems more interested in partying than solving the murder, no matter how close to home it might hit. But Hunt soon realizes there’s far more to Bryce than meets the eye—and that he’s going to have to find a way to work with her if they want to solve this case.’

I’m a simple girl, I see Sarah J. Maas, I buy the book. I love her writing so much and I’m so excited to see what she’s going to do with her first adult book (although I do think the ACOTAR books should have been adult to).

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin | Goodreads
Publication Date: 3rd September 2019

Synopsis: ‘Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned. Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony. The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made. And love makes fools of us all. ‘

The synopsis of this book sounds so interesting, and the majority of early reviews on goodreads are four and five stars so yes, I am extremely excited for this release.

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White | Goodreads
Publication Date: 5th November 2019

Synopsis: ‘There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl. Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.  To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. ‘

I love love love retellings of myths, legends and fairytales so am obviously looking forward to this release. Hopefully it is as good as it sounds.

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Thanks for reading, and let me know in the comments what upcoming releases you’re excited for.