With the new year comes new books! Here’s some books releasing (mostly in early) 2021 that have caught my eye, in order of release date.
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas – January 12th
Thomas has an excellent, easy-to-read contemporary narrative voice. I loved THUG and really liked On the Come Up, and am curious to read Maverick’s story.
To Slay a Curse by Rae Graham – January 16th
Giselle is cursed. A monster lives within her, preying upon her mind. She sees no hope for her future when thoughts disappear as they form, and every small pleasure is met with a fit of pain. Then her closest friend offers her a single, harrowing chance at freedom. Terrified that failure is inevitable, but desperate for the life stolen from her, she sets out to slay her curse armed with a magical talisman. Now, the girl who can’t do anything right must defeat the beast within before her dreamsnare fills, or risk dying trapped in her own mind.
Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift – January 19th
An arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery’s most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.
Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross…and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.
Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery’s fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it’s complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.
Written in Starlight by Isabel Ibanez – January 26th
A sequel/spin-off to one of my top favorite reads of 2020, Woven in Moonlight.
Blood of the Seer by C.M. Banschbach – February 9th
I enjoyed the first book, Oath of the Outcast, a Celtic-inspired adventure fantasy about a man unjustly cast out of his clan on a mission to rescue his brother, and am looking forward to seeing how the story ends.
Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Grueke – February 16th
(This was originally slated for release in summer of 2020, but… #2020.)
Ren Kolins is a silver wielder—a dangerous thing to be in the kingdom of Erdis, where magic has been outlawed for a century. Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she won’t see a single coin until they overthrow the King.
A Thieving Curse by Selina R. Gonzalez – April 7th
Look, if I wasn’t anticipating my own release, we would have a problem, yes? XD
Princess Raelyn of Eynlae has known her destiny for years: after her eighteenth birthday, she will marry Crown Prince Tristan Carbrey of the neighboring kingdom of Rethalyon. Her marriage will fulfil the terms of the treaty that has allowed Eynlae to thrive in an unprecedented era of peace. She is ready to shoulder her responsibility–but when she is separated from her family en route to her wedding, she is captured by a man with dragon features. Worse, the dragon-man claims he is Alexander Tallon, the rightful crown prince of Rethalyon living in hiding. The monster’s kind human friends assure Raelyn he’s a good man, she’s never known a man who breathes fire.
Trapped in dangerous mountains and faced with shocking claims about her betrothed’s father, Raelyn starts to see past the monster’s red eyes to the prince’s human heart. Will she have the courage to admit her growing attraction to Alexander? And will her absence endanger the treaty and her beloved family?
A beauty and the beast reimagining, this is both a standalone and the first in a new series of fairy tale retellings.
When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles – June 8th
Although Where Dreams Descend didn’t make my favorites of 2020, there was a lot of interesting magic and twists in it, and a killer cliffhanger that has me very curious about how this one ends the story.
The Obsidian Throne by Rowan Wright – June 21st
A YA urban fantasy I had the privilege to beta read and am so excited is going to release next year. A story about the human daughter of the king of the Underworld competing against her vampire sister to become the next queen, great for fans of the early seasons of Supernatural or The Mortal Instruments.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – September 30th
It’s no secret I love the Caraval series (I reread them this year and will probably reread them again in 2021). I also love Jacks as an interesting and complex character. So naturally, this is one of my top anticipated releases for 2021.
Yesterday or Long Ago by Jenni Sauer – Release TBA
Another book I was privileged to get to beta read this year. It’s a loose science-fantasy gender-bent retelling of Aladdin (with some Pride and Prejudice vibes as a bonus) about two commoner friends, a dreamer and a realist, falling for two of their planet’s most powerful men on accident…and maybe accidentally committing some treason. This spin-off to Rook Di Goo left me with all the warm fuzzy feelings.
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