5th - A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J Maas
Feyre is a huntress. She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price.
Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy’s kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows. Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.
Sarah J Maas - need I say more? She has taken the book world by storm with her Throne of Glass series and now we're lucky enough to have another series on the go at the same time! So as well as the Thrones novel coming in September we also get to meet Feyre, a whole new heroine who's bad ass and wonderful. I have heard nothing but incredible things in the early buzz for this one, so I cannot wait to get stuck in.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here
Or read the first few chapters for free here!
5th - Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.
Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?
I felt mixed about 'Cruel Beauty' when I read it last year, but I ultimately loved it and am very curious to see this novel set in the same world. Any retellings of fairy tales are very much my jam, and whilst the Beauty & the Beast retelling didn't quite hit all the right points for me, I'm hoping that this Red Riding Hood one will.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here
5th - The Heir by Keira Cass
Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought.
I thought I was done with this series with the last book, but now Cass is adding to it and it's like some addictive sugary sweet, I can't help but go back and see what's happening next. I'm going to be honest, The Selection series isn't great. There is a whole heap of potential but it falls short in so many ways and ended up being problematic for me in most areas. However, I am intrigued with this new book, mostly because our heroine is going to be the one doing the choosing and it's always good to have boys vying to be chosen...
You can pre-order this on Amazon here
19th - Illusionarium by Heather Dixon
What if the world holds more dangers—and more wonders—than we have ever known? And what if there is more than one world? From Heather Dixon, author of the acclaimed Entwined, comes a brilliantly conceived adventure that sweeps us from the inner workings of our souls to the far reaches of our imaginations.Jonathan is perfectly ordinary. But then—as every good adventure begins—the king swoops into port, and Jonathan and his father are enlisted to find the cure to a deadly plague. Jonathan discovers that he's a prodigy at working with a new chemical called fantillium, which creates shared hallucinations—or illusions. And just like that, Jonathan is knocked off his path. Through richly developed parallel worlds, vivid action, a healthy dose of humor, and gorgeous writing, Heather Dixon spins a story that calls to mind The Night Circus and Pixar movies, but is wholly its own.
This is one of those ones where I don't even need to see the blurb. I loved 'Entwined' Dixon's take on the twelve dancing princesses tale so much that anything by Dixon is an automatic yes please put it on my bookcase immediately. That being said - THAT BLURB! THAT COVER! Where are my smelling salts, I feel faint from the sheer fabulousness!You can pre-order this on Amazon here
19th - A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their heart.
This one just ticks so many boxes for me. Historical setting, regency period, romance, espionage, gorgeous cover and excellent blurb? All there! And I am so excited. I haven't read many YA regency novels so I'm curious to see how it translates away from the regency romances I love so much. But with spies and a war going on I'm confident this is going to be fantastic.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here
19th - Lion Heart by A. C. Gaughen
Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?
This is going to be a bit of a bittersweet read. I have loved reading the first two books in Scarlet's story and whilst I cannot wait to see how her story ends, I also don't want this journey to be done. I adore Scarlet, she is such a strong and determined heroine who doesn't let the love she feels constrain or define her. She is wonderful and I'm looking forward to reading this final installment with her.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here
ACOTAR is SO good! I want to read it all over again! And I completely agree with you about The Heir - there's just something about it that keeps me reading.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very bizarre series, both bad and kinda deliciously good at the same time. Very curious to see how the new book turns out! And YES ACOTAR is so GOOD. Loved it!
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