Hello there! Today’s post is going to be about the books that I’m most looking forward to being published this January 2019! Isn’t that exciting?! Most of these books I’ve found by perusing Netgalley’s site.
These posts are a monthly post where I basically drool over, and talk a little about the books I’m excited to read that are going to be published very soon.
Enjoy!
January 8
Analiese Rising by Brenda Drake | Fantasy, Teens & YA
When a stranger gives Analiese Jordan a list of names before he dies, the last thing she expects to see is her own on it. Not. Cool. Her search for answers leads to the man’s grandson, Marek, who has dangerous secrets of his own. Both are determined to unlock the mystery of the list.
But the truth is deadly. Analiese is a descendant of the God of Death, known as a Riser, with the power to raise the dead and control them. Finding out she has hidden powers? Cool. Finding out she turns corpses into killers? No, thank you.
Now the trail plants her and Marek in the middle of a war between gods who apparently want to raise an army of the Risen, and Analiese must figure out how to save the world—from herself.
There are so many things that draw me into wanting to read Analiese Rising. The first thing that draws me into Analiese Rising is the cover. The artwork is very alluring and I have an inkling that the art on the cover will have a huge part to play within the story.
And then there’s the synopsis for Analiese Rising. The more I read the synopsis for AR, the more I become interested in the story. There’s just a lot that has my interest piqued: Marek and his secrets, the fact that Analiese herself is a descendent of a god, and that Analiese can raise the dead.
I’m also looking forward to finding out about this war between the gods that is going on within the story as well.
Slayer by Kierstin White | Teens & YA, Retelling, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a brand-new series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that introduces a new Slayer as she grapples with the responsibility of managing her incredible powers that she’s just beginning to understand.
Into every generation a Slayer is born…
Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.
Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.
Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.
As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…
But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.
One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.
I had heard about Slayer sometime last year, and had thought “huh, that’d be interesting.” Now that Slayer is an actual book, I am seriously looking forward to reading Slayer. I haven’t finished watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer yet and I don’t think I will, but having a story based off of the TV Series is seriously cool! I’m genuinely looking forward to this one. Here’s to hoping that I’ll like Slayer more than Buffy the Vampire Slayer!
White Stag (Permafrost, #1) by Kara Barbieri | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Teens & YA
White Stag, the first book in a brutally stunning series by Kara Barbieri, involves a young girl who finds herself becoming more monster than human and must uncover dangerous truths about who she is and the place that has become her home.
A Wattpad break out star with over a million reads! Now expanded, revised and available in print and eBook.As the last child in a family of daughters, seventeen-year-old Janneke was raised to be the male heir. While her sisters were becoming wives and mothers, she was taught to hunt, track, and fight. On the day her village was burned to the ground, Janneke—as the only survivor—was taken captive by the malicious Lydian and eventually sent to work for his nephew Soren.
Janneke’s survival in the court of merciless monsters has come at the cost of her connection to the human world. And when the Goblin King’s death ignites an ancient hunt for the next king, Soren senses an opportunity for her to finally fully accept the ways of the brutal Permafrost. But every action he takes to bring her deeper into his world only shows him that a little humanity isn’t bad—especially when it comes to those you care about.
Through every battle they survive, Janneke’s loyalty to Soren deepens. After dangerous truths are revealed, Janneke must choose between holding on or letting go of her last connections to a world she no longer belongs to. She must make the right choice to save the only thing keeping both worlds from crumbling.
I have been waiting to read White Stag for about…..4 months or so, ever since I found out what White Stag was about, when I found it on Netgalley.
I’m interested in seeing how Janneke finds herself becoming more of a monster everyday, when she is still presumed to be a human. With reading the rest of the synopsis, I am even more excited to read White Stag and see how Janneke’s story unfolds. Gah, I’m already invested in this book, it’s ridiculous. I want to read and see how everything involving Soren turns out.
I’m so excited for White Stag and the rest of the story!
The Girl King by Mimi Yu | Teens & YA, Fantasy
Two sisters become unwitting rivals in a war to claim the title of Emperor in this richly imagined, Asian-inspired fantasy for fans of Renée Ahdieh and Sabaa Tahir.
Sisters Lu and Min have always known their places as the princesses of the Empire of the First Flame: assertive Lu will be named her father’s heir and become the dynasty’s first female ruler, while timid Min will lead a quiet life in Lu’s shadow. Until their father names their male cousin Set his heir instead, sending ripples through the realm and throwing both girls’ lives into utter chaos.
Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu has no choice but to go on the run, leaving Min to face the volatile court alone. Lu soon crosses paths with Nokhai, the lone, unlikely survivor of the Ashina, a clan of nomadic wolf shapeshifters. Nok never learned to shift–or to trust the empire that killed his family–but working with the princess might be the only way to unlock his true power.
As Lu and Nok form a shaky alliance, Min’s own hidden power awakens, a forbidden, deadly magic that could secure Set’s reign . . . or allow her to claim the throne herself. But there can only be one emperor, and the sisters’ greatest enemy could very well turn out to be each other.
This sweeping fantasy set against a world of buried ancient magic and political intrigue weaves an unforgettable story of ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.
Okay, I just read the synopsis for The Girl King, and let me tell you. I am SO excited to get to know all of these characters; but mostly Lu and Nohkai. There are a few thigns that makes me interested in reading The Girl King, and one of them is the fact that the twins; Lu and Min will have to; in some way, work together to make sure that Set; their cousin doesn’t claim the throne.
Another factor that has me interested in reading The Girl King, is the fact that there’s a shifter in this book. And the shifter is Nohkai! He can’t exactly shift at the moment..but I hope that after Nohkai becomes comfortable around Lu, he’ll will be able to shift properly.
I’m also pretty excited to find out what kind of powers Lu has, and what makes her so dangerous.
The fact that The Girl King has ancient magic is another thing that makes me incredibly intrigued as to how the story will pan out. I can’t wait to read The Girl King!
Match Me If You Can by Tiana Smith | Teens & YA, Romance
Mia’s best friend Robyn is known for her matchmaking skills, which is perfect, because homecoming is just around the corner. But Robyn refuses to set Mia up with the guy of her dreams, which forces Mia to take matters into her own hands. She uses Robyn’s matchmaking service to make sure popular Vince Demetrius falls for her.
Vince asks her out, but Mia doesn’t count on Logan, the persistent school newspaper photographer who seems to like her out of the blue. Now she has to choose between Vince – the guy she knows is right for her – and Logan, who insists that she give him a chance. And she needs to make sure Robyn doesn’t find out that Mia’s been matchmaking behind her back.
Mia has two weeks before homecoming. Can she fix the mess she made or will she have to kiss her perfect match goodbye forever?
Match Me If You Can is a book that I’m not too sure that I’ll end up liking. There’s definitely a chance that I will like it though. Match Me If You Can seems like a light and fluffy novel. Yet I can’t help but feel like there’s a deeper meaning behind Mia’s story. I can catch a whiff of it within the synopsis, so I’m actually really looking forward to how Mia’s story will turn out. I personally hope that Mia will end up with Logan.
Even If I Fall by Abigail Johnson | Teens & YA, Contemporary
Brooke and Heath should never have become friends, let alone fallen in love
A year ago, Brooke Covington lost everything when her beloved older brother, Jason, confessed to the murder of his best friend, Calvin. Brooke and her family became social pariahs, broken and unable to console one another. Brooke’s only solace remains the ice-skating rink where she works, but she no longer lets herself dream about a future skating professionally.
When Brooke encounters Calvin’s younger brother, Heath, on the side of the road and offers him a ride, everything changes. She needs someone to talk to…and so does Heath. No one else understands what it’s like. Her brother, alive but gone; his brother, dead but everywhere. Soon, they’re meeting in secret, despite knowing that both families would be horrified if they found out. In the place of his anger and her guilt, something frighteningly tender begins to develop, drawing them ever closer together.
But when a new secret comes out about the murder, Brooke has to choose whose pain she’s willing to live with—her family’s or Heath’s. Because she can’t heal one without hurting the other.
I have literally only just heard about Even If I Fall by perusing through Netgalley whilst making this post. I’m genuinely intrigued as to what Even If I Fall will be about, and what will actually happen, versus my imagination/my prediction of what happens.
The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2) by Holly Black | Teens & YA, Fantasy
You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.
The first lesson is to make yourself strong.
After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.
I remember not really liking The Cruel Prince (which is the first book in The Folk of the Air trilogy), but I do remember liking a few key parts. So I’m going to give The Folk of the Air trilogy another chance when get around to reading The Wicked King.
I’m not expecting too much from The Wicked King. However, what I do expect is that there will be some serious repercussions resulting in what happened nearing the end of the last book, The Cruel Prince. And for that alone, I’m looking forward to reading The Wicked King.
You can read my review of The Cruel Prince, here.
January 15
Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer | Teens & YA, Retellings Fantasy
Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: if she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.
In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books- turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them.
As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.
I checked out Echo North on the off chance that I would end up at least somewhat interested in the story. Upon reading the premise, I found that I my interest in Echo North is piqued to the point where I can’t stop thinking about what happens.
Already I am captivated by Echo North, of what seems to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I need to have a copy of Echo North as soon as possible! Uuuwaaaah. Can you tell that I am super excited about Echo North yet? I can’t even put it all into words.
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Teens & YA, Historical, LGBT
No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.
It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.
Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.
The Gilded Wolves is a story that I’ve been interested in for a while now. Especially since all the hub-bub for The Gilded Wolves started up a little while ago. I’ve definitely recommended this book as a purchase to my local library so I can have the chance to read it!
Though I don’t quite know what to think about The Gilded Wolves since it’s story takes place back in 1889. I don’t usually read historical novels unless the story seems to be a High Fantasy, which will take my mind off the fact that the story will take place over 100 years ago. The Gilded Wolves doesn’t really seem like it is a book that I would enjoy reading. Who knows though, I might like it!
Isn’t the cover so pretty though?! I love all the whirls and whorls and the detailing that this cover has. I also really like that the flowers look like gems which are attached to what I think is part of a gate for something. A gate for what though, I’m not sure.
Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee | Children’s Fiction, Middle Grade
Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you’d never know it by looking at her. To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds. When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name. Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams. This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination.
I came across Dragon Pearl on Netgalley and I was drawn in by the cover art. Then to my surprise, the synopsis instantly drew me in with “space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits.” I’m such a mythology lover that I nearly read everything that my hands come across on.
Aside from the fact that Min is a descendant of fox spirits, I am looking forward to reading Min’s journey on finding her brother, and the adventure in between.
January 22
Immortal Girls by Griffin Stark | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Teens & YA
The year is 1095, Normandy, France. Five year old Skylar runs away into the woods to escape nuns who are convinced her inexplicable seizures are the work of Satan. She survives after being adopted by wolves, when two mysterious strangers appear and reveal Skylar’s destiny to her. Skylar is the first of the Immortal Girls, destined to save humanity from itself.
“Immortal Girls” follows Skylar, Rachel, Caitlin, Beth, and Bethany, five immortal sisters who, over the course of a thousand years, attempt to learn the purpose of their own existence while hunting down the worst criminals this world has ever seen. They’ve faced the likes of Jack the Ripper and the Nazis, but as a new enemy arises to threaten the sisters’ survival they’ll soon learn that immortality doesn’t mean forever.
I’m interested in Immortal Girls because the premise for Skylar’s story is actually pretty compelling. I am not usually interested in stories that take place in the past; even if it’s a fake past, just because of how a lot of people were treated.
However! I hope that Immortal Girls will overcome that, since there are five girls themselves whom are immortal. Which is so interesting! I also like that these girls are the ones who take out the bad guys! I have a bit of hope resting on this book.
The Cold Is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale | Teens & YA, Fantasy
One girl must uncover secrets of the past to save her friend from a terrible curse in this dark and mesmerizing story of love, revenge, and redemption inspired by the myth of Medusa.
Milla knows two things to be true: Demons are real, and fear will keep her safe.
Milla’s whole world is her family’s farm. She is never allowed to travel to the village and her only friend is her beloved older brother, Niklas. When a bright-eyed girl named Iris comes to stay, Milla hopes her loneliness might finally be coming to an end. But Iris has a secret she’s forbidden to share: The village is cursed by a demon who possesses girls at random, and the townspeople live in terror of who it will come for next.
Now, it seems, the demon has come for Iris. When Iris is captured and imprisoned with other possessed girls, Milla leaves home to rescue her and break the curse forever. Her only company on the journey is a terrible new secret of her own: Milla is changing, too, and may soon be a demon herself.
Suspenseful and vividly imagined, The Cold Is in Her Bones is a novel about the dark, reverberating power of pain, the yearning to be seen and understood, and the fragile optimism of love.
I heard about The Cold Is in Her Bones a few months ago, and let me tell you. I was instantly draw in by what the book is about: revenge, curses, and love. I’ve also heard that The Cold Is in Her Bones was inspired by the myth of Medusa. Which is an uncommon thing to read about, so I’m anticipating Milla’s story!
I can’t think of what will happen within Milla’s story in The Cold Is in Her Bones, and I have no idea if I will end up liking Milla’s story or not, but that will not stop me from trying to read this one!
January 29
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer | Teens & YA, Fantasy, Retellings
In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.
Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
I have been looking forward to reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely for such a long time now. So long that, I’m not even completely sure of when I first heard about this one. You can definitely say that I’d love to have a copy in my hands.
The title itself is alluring to me as well, like, A Curse So Dark and Lonely is such a great title that I can’t help but come up with different scenarios of what might happen within Harper and Rhen’s story.
Just reading the synopsis to A Curse So Dark and Lonely has me incredibly excited to read Rhen and Harper’s adventure. More so especially when I found out that A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a twist of a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Come Find Me by Megan Miranda | Teens & YA, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
After surviving an infamous family tragedy, sixteen-year-old Kennedy Jones has made it her mission to keep her brother’s search through the cosmos alive. But then something disturbs the frequency on his radio telescope–a pattern registering where no signal should transmit.
In a neighboring county, seventeen-year-old Nolan Chandler is determined to find out what really happened to his brother, who disappeared the day after Nolan had an eerie premonition. There hasn’t been a single lead for two years, until Nolan picks up an odd signal–a pattern coming from his brother’s bedroom.
Drawn together by these strange signals–and their family tragedies–Kennedy and Nolan search for the origin of the mysterious frequency. But the more they uncover, the more they believe that everything’s connected–even their pasts–as it appears the signal is meant for them alone, sharing a message that only they can understand. Is something coming for them? Or is the frequency warning them about something that’s already here?
I didn’t think much of Come Find Me when I initially found it on Netgalley, so I’m quite surprised that a story like Come Find Me actually exsists. Come Find Me is the first time I’ve heard of a story like this one and I can say that I’m 100% interested in this novel. Which seems to have space travel, mystery, and something else that I can’t pinpoint hopefully it’s romance!.
All of the parts of the premise are interesting to me. When a synopsis for a book has me that interested in the story, then I need to check it out ASAP.
What draws me in to Come Find Me is the almost eerie-ness of the premise. I am so freaking excited to read Kennedy and Nolan’s story. Just how are these two connected?
The Lonely Dead by April Henry | Teens & YA, Mystery, Paranormal
A killer is on the loose, and only one girl has the power to find him. But in this genre-bending YA thriller, she must first manage to avoid becoming a target herself.
For Adele, the dead aren’t really dead. She can see them and even talk to them. But she’s spent years denying her gift. When she encounters her ex best friend Tori in a shallow grave in the woods and realizes that Tori is actually dead — that gift turns into a curse. Without an alibi, Adele becomes the prime suspect in Tori’s murder. She must work with Tori’s ghost to find the real killer. But what if the killer finds Adele first?
In The Lonely Dead, master mystery writer April Henry adds a chilling paranormal twist to this incredibly suspenseful young adult novel.
I knew I had heard of April Henry’s name before and upon closer inspection I actually read one of Henry’s books (I believe) last year and absolutely loved it. Reading the title for The Lonely Dead created a lot of interest, and I’m honestly not quite sure why (in a good way).
Upon reading the synopsis I found that the story is actually pretty interesting! I actually really like that there’s a paranormal aspect to this mystery novel. And another thing that I found was surprising was that the main character’s name is Adele! Just like me!
I’ve never actually met another Adele in real life before. I’ve heard of two people that have the name, apart form the singer, so to me my name is kinda really rare.
Nevertheless, I’m super excited about The Lonely Dead and can’t wait until I get to read it.
Other Mentionable Titles Include:
- Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills (out Jan. 05)
- Trust The Wolf (Shift, #1) by Zoe Ashwood (out Jan. 24)
- Dream Keeper by Amber R. Duell (out Jan. 29)
Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out this post!
If you think that I’ve missed a book that I should read, comment below. I love receiving recommendations!
See you soon, and Happy Reading!
— Adele
Adele Is Reading 
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