2019 Most Anticipated - Last Things

The next book in my 2019 Most Anticipated event is one that pairs music with the supernatural (which seems like a natural pairing to be honest).  Jacqueline West's Last Things immediately piqued my interest because I love books that feature music in some way and I love the paranormal genre.

This book has a young hot guitar player whose skills may not be the result of natural talent alone. This premise basically gave me goosebumps because who hasn't heard of the notion of selling your soul to the devil for your talents. It gives this story so much potential. 

The Goodreads synopsis for this novel will be enough to sell you on it and have you rushing to add it to your to be read list!

When strange things start happening to local music idol Anders Thorson, everyone blames his number-one-fan, Thea. But is she out to hurt him? Or protect him?

High school senior Anders Thorson is unusually gifted. His band, Last Things, is legendary in their northern Minnesota hometown. With guitar skills that would amaze even if he weren’t only eighteen, Anders is the focus of head-turning admiration. And Thea Malcom, a newcomer to the insular town, is one of his admirers. Thea seems to turn up everywhere Anders goes: gigs at the local coffeehouse, guitar lessons, even in the woods near Anders’s home. When strange things start happening to Anders—including the disappearance of his beloved cat, then his sort-of girlfriend, and, somehow, his musical talent—blame immediately falls on Thea. But is she trying to hurt him? Or save him? Can he trust a girl who doesn’t seem to know the difference between dreams and reality? And how much are they both willing to compromise to get what they want?  

I cannot wait to uncover what Thea knows and what she is really there for! Her part of the story intrigues me even more than Anders to be honest.

 Jacqueline took the some time to share a bit about Last Things and discusses why she thinks music and the paranormal are a natural fit together.

1 What gif do you feel best represents Last Things?

Ooh, probably this one:

But also—I hope—this one (it’s got some twists!):

2 If someone were to make a signature drink in honour of your book, what might be included?

This book is totally coffee-saturated. A bunch of it is set in a coffee house/concert venue called the Crow’s Nest, which is my fantasy ideal of what a coffee house should be. A signature drink for Last Things would have to include coffee, plus something a little weird and unexpected -- maybe a very dark chocolate mocha with clove or lavender thrown in, or a cappuccino with a shot of strong bourbon.

3 I love books that feature music. I also love paranormal books. Last Things, if I am correct, seems to blend elements of the two. What inspired you to combine music with the paranormal?

Well, I too love music and the paranormal/supernatural, so combining the two in my fiction was probably going to happen eventually!

Music has a lot of supernatural qualities of its own—it’s this invisible, extremely powerful thing that connects directly to our emotions, and it’s got deep ties to religion and spirituality. It can take us out of the ordinary world into something much more raw and real. And Last Things is my modern-day, Minnesotan, metal re-imagining of the legend of the guitarist who sells his soul to the devil—so I’ve got your supernatural music story right here!

4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel 

I usually can’t listen to music that has lyrics while I’m writing, but this book was a HUGE exception. I listened to a bunch of my favorite metal artists on a loop—In Flames, Trivium, Alaya, Mastodon, Chelsea Wolfe, Opeth. They’re so much a part of the book, they all get thanked in the acknowledgments.

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

Gah – so many places! I would love to watch Shakespeare onstage at the Globe Theatre in Renaissance London, playing the ghost in Hamlet. I would love to be in the audience to see Beethoven debut his Ninth Symphony in Vienna in 1824 (and then go out for fancy Viennese torte afterward).  I would love to hide in the Bronte parsonage on the Yorkshire moors in the 1840s and eavesdrop on Charlotte and Emily and Anne. But I would want to come back to our own era pretty quickly, because I really like modern dentistry. And indoor plumbing.

6 What 2019 release are you most anticipating?

I’ve been waiting to see what awesome thing Angie Thomas will do next ever since I read The Hate U Give, so I’m looking forward her second book, On the Come Up. Jeff Zentner’s stuff is always great, and I can’t wait to get my hands on Rayne and Delilah’s Midnite Matinee. I’m also keeping an eye out for an anthology called His Hideous Heart, because I’m a sucker for anything involving Edgar Allan Poe.

7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of Last Things?

I like the edges.

That first line is so teasingly short, I feel like I should give you the whole first paragraph:

I like the edges. Places where things end. Fade out. Disappear. Where two things eat away at each other until neither of them really exists anymore. Sharp edges. Frayed edges. Places that are more than one thing, or nothing. It’s more comfortable at the edge. No one really pays attention to you if that’s where you live, or stand, or eat your lunch. Most people don’t even notice that you’re watching them.                                            

I love  Jacqueline's thoughts that music is so powerful thing that resonates with people and that it creates a little magic of it's own and that is part of what makes it blend into a supernatural story so well. Think of all the music you love and how it can emotionally impact you. It's not hard to see where a story like this could be created from those emotions.

Last Things releases May 7, 2019 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (or snag it with those holiday gift cards).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble //

You can find out more about  Jacqueline by visiting her website and you can learn more about her books on her publisher website.

Do you love books that feature musicians? What about paranormal elements? Let me know in the comments!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list. 

2019 Most Anticipated - Red, White and Royal Blue

The next book in my 2019 Most Anticipated event is one that offers up a romance between the son of the President of the United States and the Prince of England. Casey McQuiston's Red, White and Royal Blue is pretty much the rom-com I have been waiting for!

This book, as per the synopsis, includes a female president. I am entirely sold just based on that alone, but throw in the adorable sounding romance and I instantly needed this book.

The Goodreads synopsis for this novel will make you immediately want to go add it to your 'to be read' list! 

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Amazing right? I am also looking forward to the inevitable Netflix movie that gets adapted from this book.

Casey took the some time to answer a few questions about her book and let us know what inspired her to write it, and what ice cream she would make in honour of Red, White and Royal Blue.

1 What gif do you feel represents Red, White and Royal Blue?

Oh, that's hard! But I'd say this one from Friday Night Lights: 

2 If someone were to make a signature ice cream in honour of your book, what might be included?

A mix of earl grey (for Henry) and cinnamon sugar (for Alex) with a swirl of cajeta. 

3 What inspired you to write a romance between the son of the United States President and the Prince of Wales?

In early 2016, I was following the presidential campaign super closely (weren't we all?) while simultaneously reading Carl Bernstein's Hillary Clinton biography and THE ROYAL WE. These things had left me with the desire to write two characters: a rebellious, Kennedy-esque, ambitious First Kid, and a quiet, misunderstood Prince Charming. I was literally driving to work one day when suddenly I realized—I could make them fall in love with each other and do it all in one story! I loved the idea of a royal romance that is on level footing in terms of fame and political power, and I really wanted to write something that captures what I love about Parks & Rec and Veep. So here we are!

4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel

"Texas Reznikoff" by Mitski. My protag, Alex, is from Austin, Texas, so this one came up a lot when I was drafting to help me get into his headspace. Like, so much so that I thanked it in the acknowledgements.

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

Would it be silly to say I'd go back to 2015? So many other time periods seem nice aesthetically but in practice would be a nightmare. But I'd love to go back to the comfort of an Obama administration for a day. Maybe the day of the Obergefell ruling, even? Rainbow White House or bust. 

6 What 2019 release are you most anticipating?

So many! Tons of my friends and incredibly talented authors have books coming out in 2019 so it's hard to pick just one, but Hafsah Faizal's WE HUNT THE FLAME is definitely up there. 

7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of Red, White and Royal Blue

Here's the first line!

On the White House roof, tucked into a corner of the Promenade, there’s a bit of loose paneling

right on the edge of the Solarium. If you tap it just right, you can peel it back enough to find a

message etched underneath, with the tip of a key or maybe a stolen West Wing letter opener.

I am very excited about everything to do with this book. A little heads up that this one is not Young Adult and will be in the romance section for those looking for it (and I believe there will be a lot of cross over appeal).

Red, White and Royal Blue releases June 4, 2019 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (or snag it with those holiday gift cards).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Casey by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her publisher website.

Are you a fan of books that include royalty? What about romance novels? Let me know in the comments!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list. 

2019 Most Anticipated - Somewhere Only We Know

The next book in my 2019 Most Anticipated event is who takes its inspiration from one of my favourite movies. It mixes Kpop with the Hollywood classic ...

I have often tweeted how much I wanted a YA novel inspired by Roman Holiday and this one sounds incredibly fun and like it'll offer a fresh take on the story as well.

The Goodreads synopsis for this novel sets the tone of lighthearted fun and a late night hamburger hunt is always a bonus.

Sparks fly between a K pop starlet and a tabloid reporter in this heartwarming rom-com from Maurene Goo.

10 00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she's just performed her hit song "Heartbeat" in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She's about to debut on The Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She's in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger.
11 00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She's very cute. He's maybe curious.
12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same.

With her trademark humor and voice, Maurene Goo delivers a sparkling story of taking a chance on love--and finding yourself along the way.

The teen with a tabloid job could work well within this type of story and it sounds like Maurene has modernized this story quite a bit as well.

As mentioned, this year's event was going to offer up some different posts than usual and this is one of them. I am going to share my personal top three reasons to be excited about this book!

1 Maurene Goo's previous novels are excellent. I see her writing style pairing nicely with this story type and cannot wait to see what she does with the character of Lucky

2 The setting! Based on the synopsis alone I am guessing it is set in Hong Kong (since it mentions her JUST performing her hit song there) and I am totally excited about a late night hamburger hunt in Hong Kong! I can see it being a great city for a Roman Holiday style romance.

3 Did I mention it was inspired by Roman Holiday? One of the most delightful rom-coms out there? Somewhere Only We Know is going to be all kinds of adorable!

Somewhere Only We Know releases May 7, 2019 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (or snag it with those holiday gift cards).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Hannah by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list. 

2019 Most Anticipated - The Dead Queens Club

The next book in my 2019 Most Anticipated event is one that is pitched as Mean Girls meets The Tudors.  It is no secret that I am obsessed with all things Tudor, and especially my girl  .....

I was immediately intrigued and the synopsis only made me more so. Hannah Capin's The Dead Queens Club modernizes the tale of the King who had six wives and sets it in a high school. 

The Goodreads synopsis for this novel sets the expectation for two of Henry's girlfriends to have 'tragic accidents' (and possibly by his hand) so I am curious as to how that will be dealt with.

What do a future ambassador, an overly ambitious Francophile, a hospital-volunteering Girl Scout, the new girl from Cleveland, the junior cheer captain, and the vice president of the debate club have in common? It sounds like the ridiculously long lead-up to an astoundingly absurd punchline, right? Except it’s not. Well, unless my life is the joke, which is kind of starting to look like a possibility given how beyond soap opera it’s been since I moved to Lancaster. But anyway, here’s your answer: we’ve all had the questionable privilege of going out with Lancaster High School’s de facto king. Otherwise known as my best friend. Otherwise known as the reason I’ve already helped steal a car, a jet ski, and one hundred spray-painted water bottles when it’s not even Christmas break yet. Otherwise known as Henry. Jersey number 8.

Meet Cleves. Girlfriend number four and the narrator of The Dead Queens Club, a young adult retelling of Henry VIII and his six wives. Cleves is the only girlfriend to come out of her relationship with Henry unscathed—but most breakups are messy, right? And sometimes tragic accidents happen…twice…

We all know what happened to Anne Boleyn and Katheryn Howard but the high school setting makes me think we're in a for a twist to that part of the story.

Hannah took the time to answer a few questions about her book and offers up why she thinks we're still so intrigued by Henry (and his wives) all these years later.

1 What gif do you feel represents The Dead Queen's Club?

This one from MEAN GIRLS--with Regina George representing every girl at Lancaster High School, the bus representing everything that *happens* at Lancaster High School, and Cady standing in for protagonist Cleves, who's just trying to live her life (and also solve murders and end misogyny).

2 If someone were to make a signature cocktail in honour of your book, what might be included?

I'd imagine, in a very "do not try this at home" sort of way, a cocktail involving one shot for each of the six wives of Henry VIII, plus one extra shot for the unfairly maligned Jane Boleyn (née Parker), Lady Rochford. Also Red Bull. It may surprise you to learn that I am in fact not a mixologist.

3 Your novel is a modern twist on King Henry VIII. Why do you think we're still fascinated by him and his wives all these years later?

Short answer: no one does drama like Henry VIII! Better answer: Henry VIII had a larger-than-life personality magnified by exceptional PR. His reign followed a soap-opera-style arc that would be unbelievable in fiction if it hadn't happened in real life. Personal answer: I've been fascinated with the six wives since I was a kid. All of them were impressive and accomplished women in their own right, and almost all of them have been alternately praised and maligned in both serious scholarship and popular culture over the years. Most are finally getting the respect they deserve--with the exception of Katheryn Howard, who is often still dismissed as "an empty-headed wanton" when in fact she was a generous, gracious, charismatic teenage girl thrown into a situation beyond her control and ultimately executed because she hurt a powerful man's ego. I've carried a torch for her since I was 12 or so, and a major reason I wrote DQC was to set the record straight--both for the historical Katheryn Howard, and for the girls and women today still facing slut-shaming and victim-blaming.

4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel 

"The King Is Dead But The Queen Is Alive" by Pink is absolutely the DQC theme song! And "Pastime With Good Company" by Henry VIII himself--he composed it at age 17 or 18, and there's a 21st-century version of it in DQC.

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

The early morning hours of February 13, 1542, to Katheryn Howard's rooms in the Tower of London. She was beheaded later that morning, and the night before her execution she requested that they bring the chopping block to her so she could practice--she wanted to comport herself in a queenly way even to the very last, and that detail about her completely devastates me. If I could time-travel, I'd literally just go back to that night and give her a hug.

6 What 2019 release are you most anticipating?

I had the extraordinary privilege of reading Rory Power's debut, WILDER GIRLS, a few months ago, and it was phenomenal! I can't wait until it's out so I can yell about it without spoiling it for everyone. I'm also really excited to read Hafsah Faizal's debut, WE HUNT THE FLAME.

7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of The Dead Queen's Club.

"Henry calls me at 12:01 the night before homecoming." Late-night pranking: commence!

I am excited by the research that was obviously done for this book. I also love the idea of Anne Of Cleaves as a mini detective. It feels right in a lot of ways.

The Dead Queens Club releases January 29, 2019 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (or snag it with those holiday gift cards).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Hannah by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Are you a fan of stories that are taken from history but put in a more modern setting? Do you love Tudor history as much as I do? Let me know in the comments!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list. 

2019 Most Anticipated - Spectacle

The next book in my 2019 Most Anticipated event is one that focuses on a young newspaper reporter whose job is to summarize the new arrivals at the local morgue and discovers a potential serial killer in the process. Amazing right?

The book is set in Paris in the 1800s which adds another intriguing element. The book is Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok! It's a 2019 debut that I think will pique a lot of interest.

The Goodreads synopsis for this novel sets the expectation for lots of danger, excitement, creepy Parisian Catacombs and much more.

A YA murder mystery in which a young reporter must use her supernatural visions to help track down a killer targeting the young women of Paris.

Paris, 1887.

Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day's new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered--from the perspective of the murderer himself.

When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie's search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie's strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer's identity--and she'll have to do it before she becomes a target herself. 

Any YA reader with an interest in mysteries, crime novels, or atmospheric reads will  immediately want to add it to their 'to be read' pile.

Jodie took the time to answer a few questions about her book and let us know where she would travel to with a time machine.

1 Describe Spectacle in three words  

Dark, atmospheric, intriguing

2 If someone were to make a signature cocktail in honour of your book, what might be included? 

Chartreuse (for Paris) and vodka (for my Polish heritage), and a splash of lemon to cut it a bit. And maybe absinthe (for the era) and a Chambord sinker (symbolic of blood--did I just gross everyone out with that?) as a nightcap. 

3 Spectacle is a historically set novel. What sort of research did you do in order to capture the time period accurately? 

I have a BA and two MAs in History, and European History was my particular area of interest. I read a lot of books and articles about cultural history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a student, so I had a fair amount of baseline knowledge. Internet research was useful for tracking down obscure details at times, but recreating a time and place with so little visual documentation was a challenge. I also tried to write with words that would have been in use at the time, which meant very, very frequent etymology and usage checks; you'd be surprised how many everyday phrases we say today didn't exist back then. Lastly, I've been to Paris twice, so I had a good sense of the geography of Paris and some of the sites in the novel (some, such as the morgue, aren't in existence anymore). And given the name of this blog, I'd like to give a shout out to the red wine I had while I was there (also the macarons, which are unrelated to my novel or this blog but get a nod anyway. My sweet tooth is incurable).

4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel ?

I'm one of those rare authors who doesn't make playlists or listen to music (except classical, because Mozart...

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

I'd fill up my time machine passport in a heartbeat! I'd like to visit Rome under Augustus, Berlin and NYC in the 1920s, and 1940s Hollywood (and maybe end up as an extra in a now-classic movie). I also wouldn't mind swinging by the Paris Morgue in the late 19th century, just to see how well I captured it. 

6 What 2019 release are you most anticipating?

I've had the privilege of reading a few YA and MG by my fellow 19s, and I have quite a few more on my TBR pile (let's hear it for ARC tours!). THE BONE GARDEN by Heather Kassner and DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE by Joan He were superb. I'm looking forward to reading THE STORM CROW by Kalyn Josephson, THE LAST WORD by Samantha Hastings, and INK IN THE BLOOD by Kim Smejkal. 

7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of Spectacle  

Nathalie used to think that if she wrote of death, she’d only need two words. 

I am very encouraged by the level of research that seems to have gone into this. I cannot wait to see what Jodie's Paris is like and what type of character Nathalie is. I love that she is a writer for a newspaper.

Spectacle releases February 12, 2019 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (or snag it with those holiday gift cards).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Jodie by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Are you a fan of mysteries? What about historical set novels? Let me know in the comments!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list. 

2019 Most Anticipated - Kelly from KellyVision

I mentioned in the announcement post for this year's event that I was going to be mixing it up a little bit from the usual format from previous years. This next post highlights books that someone else thinks should be on your radar for 2019! My friend Kelly, from KellyVision, was kind enough to share her list with me and offer up some commentary as to why her picks should be on your list as well. She's broken them down into categories so there is sure to be something for everyone!

I'm very excited to do this guest post because one of the things I love most in the world is talking about books. (Also reading books, preordering books, buying books in general and attending bookish events.) These are books I haven't gotten for review, and so these are books that I will be buying and that I will be reading the second I can. (I tend to still buy books but then not read them right away because I have a ton that I've gotten for review and I try to read those first.)

YA & Middlegrade:

1) Tell Me Everything by Sarah Enni 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out Feb. 26

I forget how I initially heard about this, but it sounds amazing. I'm drawn to stories about secrets, and I especially love stories where people suddenly become famous or infamous. It's a debut novel and I also love supporting those.

2) Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

 Out May 7.

I am a huge fan of Lynda Mullaly Hunt and I feel like I've been waiting for this book FOREVER. I've deliberately tried to not learn anything about it. (With some authors, it doesn't even matter what it's about. Like, "Oh, it's written by this person? I NEED IT.)

3) Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

I've read an early version of this, but I know the finished version will be so different. Jen and I are friends and I loved PS I Miss You so much, and I think her books are so great and so important.

4) In the Woods by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out July 16.

Speaking of books I've been waiting forever for, THIS ONE. It's supposed to be scary and it's their first collaboration since After Obsession. This is the scary book I've waited years for.

5) Scary Stories Complete Set by Alvin Schwartz 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out April 30.

I think everyone who's roughly my age read these books when they were little. Copies were passed around my elementary school playground and I don't have my copies anymore. And so when I found out that they were releasing them for the Kindle, there was an actual shriek of joy.

6) Rayne & Delilah's Midnight Matinee by Jeff Zentner 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out Feb. 26.

And speaking of shrieks of joy. I hate winter and this is the reason I'm actually looking forward to it in general and looking forward to February (the worst month) in particular. This sounds amazing and since I've loved his first two books, my expectations are literally sky high for this.

7) Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out January 15.

Emma Mills is another of my favorite authors and this one is almost here. (Only two months or so to go!) I'm from a small town and I didn't particularly love it, so I'm excited to read this and see life in a small town from a different perspective.

8) Far Away by Lisa Graff 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out March 5

This one sounds fantastic and heartbreaking. CJ lives with her psychic aunt after her mom died, and it's about how she tries to stay close to her mom and I expect to cry buckets.

9) Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out March 5.

I am literally taking March 5 after work, so that I can read this (and Far Away) without the distraction of work. If you haven't read Children of Blood and Bone, you need to. Like, IMMEDIATELY. I loved that book and I'm so excited for this one.

Adult fiction:

1) Saving Meghan by DJ Palmer

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble 

Out April 9.

I love mysteries and suspense novels and this one sound amazing. Is it Munchausen by Proxy? Is Meghan actually really sick? Is there a third option? I have so many questions and this is going to be an excellent present for me.

2) Run Away by Harlan Coben 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out March 19.

Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors and has been since I read Tell No One probably 15 years ago or so. This one sounds a little different (drugs are involved) but I'm on board for everything he writes.

3) The Bride Test by Helen Hoang. 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out May 7.

I haven't read her first novel, The Kiss Quotient, but I have it. I've heard excellent things and this one sounds even better. I'm hoping I'll read The Kiss Quotient before this one comes out.

4) The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out July 16.

I am so psyched for this one! I haven't read The Wedding Date yet but I loved The Proposal. Jasmine Guillory writes these completely delightful books and I'm excited for another one in that world.

5) The Other Mrs. Miller by Allison Dickson. 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out July 16.

In the interest of full disclosure, Allison and I are friends, but I would be desperate to read this book either way. I'm hoping that I don't have to wait until July to read this domestic suspense novel.

Nonfiction:

1) Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out May 28.

If I only get one book in 2019, it will be this one. I'm a murderino (thanks to Kathy!) and I am so excited for this book. It should be so good and so funny.

2) This Promise of Change by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out January 8.

I love books about women who make a difference, and Jo Ann is someone who's done that...except she was actually a 14-year-old girl when she was one of the Clinton 12 who desegregated a high school in Tennessee. This looks heartbreaking and amazing. She's a hero in her time and in ours.

3) Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out March 12

Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite authors and this is her first memoir. It's going to be written in verse and that's about all I know about it: memoir in verse by Laurie Halse Anderson.

4) The Witches are Coming by Lindy West 

Amazon // Chapters // Barnes and Noble

Out May 28. (NOTE: I need to take May 28 off work.)

Embarrassing Confession: I haven't read Shrill. I have it and I want to read it; I just haven't yet. But this one is about pop culture, politics and feminism and I am always here for that.

A huge thank you to Kelly for taking the time to write this post!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list. 

2019 Most Anticipated - A Curse So Dark And Lonely

It's time to kick off my annual Most Anticipated event! Each year I spotlight the books that I am eager to get my hands on in the upcoming year in hopes it'll put them on your radar as well.

This year I am starting with a novel that reimagines one of my favourite fairytales into something that sounds pretty unique and a little more modern.

That's right... It's a Beauty and the Beast retelling. A Curse So Dark and Lonely is written by Brigid Kemmerer so I anticipate a whole lot of emotional payoff in this one along with some great writing.

The Goodreads synopsis for this novel makes it seem like it is set in modern times but keeps that classic feel by having Harper be sucked into Rhen's world.

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.

This sounds incredible right? I like the different perspective it seems to taking while still having all the classic elements of the Beauty and the Beast story. I cannot wait to discover the world of Emberfall and all of the cursed characters within it.

Brigid, very kindly, agreed to take part in my event this year and the result is the very fun interview where I get her to reveal some details about A Curse So Dark and Lonely.

1 Describe A Curse So Dark and Lonely in three words.

Prince. Castle. Swords.

2 If someone were to make a signature ice cream in honour of your book, what might be included?

Chocolate, but only because I think chocolate ice cream should always be included, no matter what.

3 Fairytale retellings are always popular. What about the classic Beauty and the Beast tale made you want to make it your own?

I think what I love the best about Beauty and the Beast is that, at its core, it's a story about seeing beyond the exterior and finding someone's true humanity underneath. I tried to capture that magic in Curse, just without all the Stockholm Syndrome stuff that comes with kidnapping or imprisoning a girl to break a curse. In Curse, Harper is definitely kidnapped, but she doesn't want to be there, and she's very much her own person.

4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel (if you didn't listen to music let me know and I can quickly send another question)

I have a whole playlist! I would say that "Sound of Silence" by The Disturbed most closely captures Rhen's mood. If you haven't heard it, I insist that you give it a listen:

It's not so much the lyrics, but the way his voice conveys the mood.

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

This is such a tough question!! Right off the cuff, I'd say Renaissance Italy, but that's only because it seems so beautiful and charming in my imagination. I'm sure it was a really challenging time to be alive for the average person.

6 What 2019 release are you most anticipating?

This is such a tough question because there are so many!! Probably Sabaa Tahir's next book.

7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of A Curse So Dark and Lonely?

Not too spoilery at all!

"There is blood under my fingernails. I wonder how many of my people I've killed this time."

That opening line has me thinking that this Beast is more terrifying than those in previous adaptations. This Beast seems to be deadly and have a body count.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely releases January 29, 2019 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (and it is perfect use for those holiday gift cards).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Brigid by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Do you love fairytale retellings as much as I do? What do you think of Beauty and the Beast ones in particular? Let me know in the comments!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list.