[TBR ON SUNDAY] My most anticipated 2019 releases – YA edition

You see them popping up everywhere; articles on 2019 book releases. Everyone’s looking forward to 2019 book releases; a book release in a favorite series, a release of a first book in a new series or maybe a new standalone from a favorite author, and so on…

There are so many books being added to my wishlist each month with all the new releases in general or the already published books I keep coming across, but there’s quite a list already as well when it comes to 2019 releases in particular, that I’m already 100% sure of, that I’ll be buying.

A lot of those new releases are Young adult books, but there are definitely some romance books or others that I’m looking forward to as well. Today though, I’ll be focusing on some of the YA book releases in 2019. I can’t wait to gush about them! There are so many more books I could list here but I’ll try to keep it at a minimum, lol. You’ll be seeing a lot of new releases as well in my monthly releases articles anyway. Happy reading!

⌈ January-March ⌉

a Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer. I’ve already read and LOVED this book so much but I’m still so much looking forward to it’s release so I can finally have the hardcover copy in my hands. Can’t wait to add this book to my printed collection and do a re-read of it, hopefully soon as well.

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 Lacy. 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.

Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler. This one releases at the end of January and I am sooo excited to read this book. It looks to be a really epic read and can’t wait to read it hopefully soon after its release.

Ship of Smoke and Steel is the launch of a cinematic, action-packed epic fantasy trilogy for fans of Leigh Bardugo and The Legend of Korra.

In the lower wards of Kahnzoka, the great port city of the Blessed Empire, eighteen-year-old ward boss Isoka comes to collect when there’s money owing. When her ability to access the Well of Combat is discovered by the Empire—an ability she should have declared and placed at His Imperial Majesty’s service—she’s sent on an impossible mission: steal Soliton, a legendary ghost ship—a ship from which no one has ever returned. If she fails, her sister’s life is forfeit.

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller. This is definitely one of my most anticipated ya releases of 2019. Daughter of the Pirate King and Daughter of the Siren Queen have been such a-ma-zing reads and I really cannot wait to read more by this author. The synopsis of this stand alone looks really frigging awesome and I can’t wait to find out what I’ll think of it.

How do you kill a god?

As her father’s chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honour, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.

Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers. I haven’t read anything by this author yet – I do have Grave Mercy on my shelves – but this book looks like it’s going to be such a great read. The synopsis looks so good and I just really have to buy this book in 2019 and hopefully read it asap as well. I hope I’m going to love it. It’s definitely a book that’s very high upon my 2019 wishlist.

Death wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning…

Sybella has always been the darkest of Death’s daughters, trained at the convent of Saint Mortain to serve as his justice. But she has a new mission now. In a desperate bid to keep her two youngest sisters safe from the family that nearly destroyed them all, she agrees to accompany the duchess to France, where they quickly find themselves surrounded by enemies. Their one ray of hope is Sybella’s fellow novitiates, disguised and hidden deep in the French court years ago by the convent—provided Sybella can find them.

Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she struggles to remember who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. Her only solace is a hidden prisoner who appears all but forgotten by his guards. When tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands—even if it means ignoring the long awaited orders from the convent.

As Sybella and Gen’s paths draw ever closer, the fate of everything they hold sacred rests on a knife’s edge. Will they find each other in time, or will their worlds collide, destroying everything they care about?

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner. Another one that’s really high upon my wishlist.  A stand alone re-telling by an author that I’ve come to love so so much! I loved het co-written Sci-Fi trilogy that she wrote with Amie Kaufman but her Beauty and the Beast re-telling, Hunted, so much as well! I am so excited to see what I’ll think of this Robin Hood re-telling. I’ve loved Robin Hood’s story every since I was a young girl and I haven’t really read any re-telling of it so this release has me so EXCITED!

Robin of Locksley is dead.

When news comes that he’s fallen in battle at the King’s side in the Holy Land, Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on. Betrothed to Robin, she was free to be herself, to flout the stifling rules of traditional society and share an equal voice with her beloved when it came to caring for the people of her land.

Now Marian is alone, with no voice of her own. The people of Locksley, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, are doomed to live in poverty or else face death by hanging. The dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sherriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley, and Marian’s fiancé. Society demands that she accept her fate, and watch helplessly as her people starve.

When Marian dons Robin’s green cloak, and takes up his sword and bow, she never intended that anyone should mistake her for Robin, returned from the Holy Land as a vigilante. She never intended that the masked, cloaked figure she created should stand as a beacon of hope and justice to peasant and noble alike. She never intended to become a legend.

But all of Nottingham is crying out for a savior. So Marian must choose to make her own fate and become her own hero…

Robin Hood.

⌈ April-June ⌉

the Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare. The first book in an adult series that revolves around Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. Could I be any more excited?! I guess not haha. When reading some short novella’s lately in which they were present, it got me even more excited now to read this book. I cannot wait for this release!!!

All Magnus Bane wanted was a vacation—a lavish trip across Europe with Alec Lightwood, the Shadowhunter who against all odds is finally his boyfriend. But as soon as the pair settles in Paris, an old friend arrives with news about a demon-worshipping cult called the Crimson Hand that is bent on causing chaos around the world. A cult that was apparently founded by Magnus himself. Years ago. As a joke.

Now Magnus and Alec must race across Europe to track down the Crimson Hand and its elusive new leader before the cult can cause any more damage. As if it wasn’t bad enough that their romantic getaway has been sidetracked, demons are now dogging their every step, and it is becoming harder to tell friend from foe. As their quest for answers becomes increasingly dire, Magnus and Alec will have to trust each other more than ever—even if it means revealing the secrets they’ve both been keeping.

Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman. The first book in a new SciFi series written by these two geniuses that co-wrote the Illuminae Files trilogy, which is one of my most favorite SciFi series everrrr. The synopsis for Aurora Rising is so promising and I cannot wait to receive this book and read it! I’m so excited!

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

DEV1AT3 by Jay Kristoff, the sequel to LIFEL1K3 which I loved so very much! This is definitely one of my highly anticipated 2019 releases! Can’t wait to see how the story continues. Book 1 was such an epic SciFi adventure I couldn’t get enough of.

Find me Their Bones by Sara Wolf, the sequel to Bring me their Hearts. I really think this book deserves so much more attention! It was such a great read and I am so excited to read the sequel and see how the story continues because the ending of book 1; just omfg! The waiting is excruciating!

The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter, the first book in a new re-telling series called the Forest of Good and Evil! Written by one of my most fave authors ever so of course I’m looking forward to reading this baby!

Welcome to the Forest of Good and Evil. A dream come true, and a living nightmare.

“Evil isn’t born, it’s made.
One thought and action at a time.
Take a good look at what you’ve made.”

Far, far away, in the realm of Enchantia, creatures of legend still exist, magic is the norm and fairy tales are real. Except, fairy tales aren’t based on myths and legends of the past—they are prophecies of the future.

Raised in the mortal realm, Everly Morrow has no idea she’s a real life fairy tale princess—until she manifests an ability to commune with mirrors.

Look. See… What will one peek hurt?

Soon, a horrifying truth is revealed. She is fated to be Snow White’s greatest enemy, the Evil Queen.

With powers beyond her imagination or control—and determined to change Fate itself—Everly returns to the land of her birth. There, she meets Roth Charmaine, the supposed Prince Charming. Their attraction is undeniable, but their relationship is doomed.

As bits and pieces of the prophecy unfold, Everly faces one betrayal after another, and giving in to her dark side proves more tempting every day. Can she resist, or will she become the queen—and villain—she was born to be?

⌈ July-December ⌉

The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair. This is a stand alone fantasy book that has me so intrigued by reading its synopsis. This is definitely one I’m going to pre-order before it’s release. It looks so promising!!

The Magicians meets Fight Club in this heart-stopping contemporary fantasy stand-alone about a teen girl with special powers who seeks redemption through a dangerous tournament that guarantees the winner a chance to undo the past. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and The Young Elites, and written by debut author Katharyn Blair.

Vesper Montgomery can summon your worst fear and turn it into a reality—but she’s learned the hard way that it’s an addicting and dangerous power. One wrong move and you could hurt someone you love.

But when she earns a spot in the Tournament of the Unraveling, where competitors battle it out for a chance to rewrite the past, Vesper finally has a shot to reverse the mistakes that have changed her forever. She turns to Sam Hardy, a former MMA fighter who’s also carrying a tragedy he desperately wants to undo. However, helping heal Sam’s heart will mean breaking her own, and the competition forces her to master her powers—powers she has been terrified of since they destroyed her life.

Call it what you want by Brigid Kemmerer. Ever since reading my arc of her fantasy re-telling a Curse so Dark and Lonely – which releases this January and is a MUST-READ! – I’ve been dying to read Brigid’s other books. This new release looks sooo good and I really can’t wait to read these contemporary books she’s written so far and to pre-order this beauty in 2019!

When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.

Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.

When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship…

This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?

Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo, the first book in a new series by this awesome author. I’ve fallen in love with her writing when reading her To Kill a Kingdom and I’m so excited to read more by this author. There isn’t much known yet about this book except there’s black magic, young crooks and a quest. That’s enough for me! All aboard the hype train, whoopwhoop!

In a world thriving with black magic, four young crooks embark on a quest to take down their criminal leader after they discover the plot behind his dangerous new magic.

Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland. A new Strickland book? YES PLEASE! The kaitan chronicles books she’s co-written with Michael Miller have been one of my favorites reads ever so if one of the authors is going to publish a new book, I need to get in on it!

Kamai Nuala can visit other people’s souls, but her own remains a mystery—as does the ominous black door which follows her from soul to soul and hides a dark world of seduction, control, and royal intrigue.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare, the first book in the Last Hours trilogy. I’ve been waiting for the release of this book ever since finishing Clockwork Princess for the first time many years ago. In the meantime, I’ve been reading some novella’s in which some of the characters from the Last Hours were present and now the waiting has officially become agonizing, lol. I NEED THIS BOOK IN MY LIFE, like now! I am beyond excited to read this book and I wish November 2019 wasn’t still so far away 😦

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.

And I’m sure there are so many more books I would want to add to this list if I’d dived into my research a bit deeper but for now, this is already quite a great list I think! I can’t wait to see what other beauties will come our way in 2019!

Aside from this YA 2019 releases-list, I’ll be looking into (paranormal) romance releases as well, so keep your eye out for it if you’re interested in seeing some of the 2019 releases of those genres! Thanks for reading!

What book releases are you looking forward to in 2019?

With Love,
Melissa ♥