2019 Most Anticipated - Melissa from Raincoast Books

Today I have Melissa from Raincoast Books stopping by to fill us in on the titles she feels should be on your radar for 2019. Some amazing choices here! A huge thank you to Melissa for taking the time and agreeing to stop by!

2019 Most Anticipated

2019 is going to be another incredible year for books with highly anticipated sequels, debuts, and new series starters to look forward to! Check out a selection of 5 YA books that should be on your radar in the new year below!

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

Goodreads

You guys. If you haven’t read Leigh Bardugo or Six of Crows yet, what are you waiting for?! King of Scars takes us back into the world of the Grisha and tells fan favourite Nikolai’s story. If you’ve read the Grisha series and Six of Crows duology, you’ll also be reunited with some familiar characters. This is without a doubt one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I can’t wait to dive back into the Grishaverse!

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

Goodreads

Children of Blood and Bone was one of the most talked about YA fantasy novels of 2018. It has a movie deal in the works, and it was even chosen as the inaugural Tonight Show Summer Reads pick! Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the highly-anticipated sequel to Children of Blood and Bone. Mark your calendars for March 5, 2019!

Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

Goodreads

Hailed as “the hottest YA fantasy of 2019” by Entertainment Weekly, Bloodleaf is the start of a new fantasy series by debut author Crystal Smith. A retelling of The Goose Girl, Bloodleaf features magic, romance, betrayal, and intrigue, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Check out an excerpt from the book here, and watch for Bloodleaf in 2019!

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand

Goodreads

You all need to go read Furyborn right now! Claire Legrand has crafted an immersive fantasy world, characters you’ll root for, and a page-turning series starter. After that ending in Furyborn, I have been desperately waiting for Kingsbane and can’t wait to be swept back into the story. If you’re looking for a brand new fantasy series, this is one for you!

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

Goodreads

Bestselling author Rainbow Rowell and Eisner award-winning Canadian artist Faith Erin Hicks have teamed up to create the autumnal-themed graphic novel of our dreams! It’s Deja and Josiah’s senior year and final shift at the pumpkin patch where they’ve worked together for years, so they decide to make it an adventure and go out with a bang. This is sure to be a delightful read, and I am so excited for this book out in August 2019!

2018 Most Anticipated - Melissa From Raincoast

Today I have the awesome Melissa from Raincoast Books stopping by to share her list of books that should be on your radar for 2018! There are some pretty amazing sounding ones that I predict people are already excited about.

There are some amazing books being released in 2018 that it’s almost impossible to choose (my TBR pile is teetering!), but below are 5 highlights to look forward to in the new year:

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (goodreads)

I don’t even know where to start with this one except to say READ. THIS. BOOK! Alice and her mother have had terrible luck. When Alice’s grandmother—the author of a cult-classic book of dark fairytales called Tales of the Hinterland—dies on her estate, The Hazel Wood, their luck gets worse. Alice’s mother is taken by someone claiming to be from the Hinterland and Alice, with the help of Hinterland superfan Ellery Finch, must try to find her. If that’s not enough to hook you, the film rights for The Hazel Wood have already been bought by Columbia Pictures/Sony and the book has received 4 starred reviews. A creepy, engaging and compelling read that will keep you turning pages, The Hazel Wood is a debut that you won’t want to miss! 

Nice Try, Jane Sinner by Lianne Oelke (goodreads)

After being expelled from her high school, Jane Sinner signs up for a Big Brother-esque reality show called House of Orange while attending high school completion classes at a community college. Written by a fellow Vancouver-ite and set in Alberta, Nice Try, Jane Sinner is a funny and engaging debut. In the words of Becky Albertalli: “Jane Sinner snarked her way into my heart, and she's never leaving. Prepare to fall hard for this hilarious, heartfelt gem of a book." Nice Try, Jane Sinner is definitely one to watch for in 2018.

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena (goodreads)

Since Kathy featured Tanaz Bhathena and A Girl Like That in her Most Anticipated event already, I won’t go in to too much more detail! I just have to say that A Girl Like That is a stunning debut by Canadian author Tanaz Bhathena with beautiful writing and a gripping plot, and it also brings attention to race and religion and the crucial discussions we need to have about equality.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (goodreads)

Children of Blood and Bone is a highly anticipated West-African inspired fantasy novel by debut author Tomi Adeyemi that has already generated a ton of buzz in the community! The vivid storytelling in this book will immediately make it clear why Children of Blood and Bone has been optioned for a movie by Fox 2000 Pictures before the book has even released. An original, captivating fantasy, Children of Blood and Bone is definitely one you’ll want to read in 2018!

Furyborn by Claire Legrand (goodreads)

This is a must-read high fantasy of 2018! Furyborn follows two young women—Rielle and Eliana—who are 1,000 years apart but whose stories are ultimately connected. The book alternates between the two perspectives and will keep you engrossed until the very end. Furyborn is a remarkable start to this new trilogy, and one to check out next year!

A huge thank you to Melissa for stopping by! I hope you've added a few more books to your 'to be read' list.

Come back tomorrow for the next book on my #2018MostAnticipated list.  

2015 Most Anticipated - Melissa @ Raincoast Books

Today I have Melissa from Raincoast Books stopping by with her Most Anticipated titles of 2015! Pretty sure there are more than a few you're already excited about.

Most Anticipated 2015

Hi Kathy! Thanks for inviting me to share my 2015 Most Anticipated titles. As you know, since you kindly participated in the event, we just held a Spring Preview about upcoming Spring 2015 titles that we’re most excited about (you can check out some of the ones we’re anticipating with the hashtag #TeensReadFeed. This was a shameless promotion, yes. Oops?). You’d think that preview would prepare me for this, but I’m still not ready. How do you only choose one!? Therefore, I’ve decided that I’m going to talk briefly about a bunch of titles I’m super excited for, instead of going in depth about just one. Sound good? Good.

One of my absolute favourite YA series that I have read so far is The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski.  Plus, after the brutal cliffhanger that The Winner’s Curse ended with, obviously one of my most anticipated titles has to be The Winner’s Crime.  If you haven’t checked out The Winner’s Curse yet, do so now! You won’t regret it. I’ve had the pleasure to already read The Winner’s Crime, and let me say, it was just as gorgeously written as the first. I really love this series, and I highly recommend reading this one!

Fairest by Marissa Meyer is also on my list of Most Anticipated books of 2015.  Originally, when I found out the final installment of The Lunar Chronicles, Winter, was being postponed until November 2015, I was horrified. But then I learned the reason for the delay in publishing Winter is because the wonderfully prolific Marissa Meyer had written a prequel for the series from Levana’s point of view. I’ve had the opportunity to read this, and let me tell you that it’s just as brilliant as you’d expect! 

Another one of my most anticipated books is written by a Canadian! There’s a 

brand new Janet Gurtler book coming out this spring, called The Truth about Us.  We’re such big fans of Janet here at Raincoast, and although I haven’t yet read this one, I’m so excited about it.  It sounds like a great contemporary read, and you can take a look at the description here:

The truth is that Jess knows she screwed up.
She's made mistakes, betrayed her best friend, and now she's paying for it. Her dad is making her spend the whole summer volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

The truth is she wishes she was the care-free party-girl everyone thinks she is.
She pretends it's all fine. That her "perfect" family is fine. But it's not. And no one notices the lie… until she meets Flynn. He's the only one who really sees her. The only one who listens.

The truth is that Jess is falling apart - and no one seems to care.

But Flynn is the definition of "the wrong side of the tracks." When Jess's parents look at him they only see the differences—not how much they need each other. They don't get that the person who shouldn't fit in your world… might just be the one to make you feel like you belong.

If you’ve never read anything by Beth Kephart, you need to rectify that immediately. I love Beth Kephart’s writing, which is why my next most anticipated pick is One Thing Stolen. She has such stunning prose, and I was blown away by the last book of hers I read called Going Over. While I haven’t yet had a chance to read an advance of this one, I’m really looking forward to it. Plus it’s set in Florence. And it has the most interesting premise. So seriously, everyone should try reading this! Not to mention, are you looking at that cover? So gorgeous.

And finally, one of the books I am most looking forward to is a bit of a departure from YA, and fiction for that matter.  The Last Love Song by Tracy Daugherty is a biography on one of my favourite writers, Joan Didion.  (Side note, if you’re looking for a good nonfiction book or collection of essays, read Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Didion. I am in awe of her prose.) I have always been so in love with Joan Didion’s writing, and I am excited to have the opportunity to learn more about her life with this biography. This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m really looking forward to reading this one!

So that’s just a handful of some of my Most Anticipated titles of 2015! It’s so hard to choose, but it had to be done.  Thanks again, Kathy, for the opportunity to talk about some of my most anticipated upcoming books!

I want to think Melissa for taking the time to write up this post. There are some exciting books (and I can confirm the amazingness of The Winner's Crime) coming our way in 2015!