Anticipated Releases (July- September 2021)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And today I'm posting my anticipated releases for the next three months! 

There aren't as many as last time, but there are still a fair few to talk about. 

So, without further ado, enjoy! 

July Releases

1. Red Sky Burning (The Circle Trilogy #2), by Teri Terry 

(6/7/21)

Red Sky Burning is the second book in the Circle trilogy, but for some reason, it's nowhere to be found on Goodreads. (Update @ 22/6/21- that has since been ammended since I messaged Goodreads.) I read the first book in the trilogy last year, during The Reading Rush and assuming it's going ahead, I might be tempted to read the second one for this year's readathon (providing it works for one of the categories). 

Dark Blue Rising (first book in the series) follows Tabby, who holds an interest in swimming. When she finds herself in an accident, she receives some shocking news. Her mother isn't actually her mother. As she is thrown head first into her new life, whilst coming to grips with the fact that she was stolen away, she finds herself drawn to the ocean. As she enrolls at a swimming summer school to get away, all is  not what it seems. She and her friends are cut off from the outside world and she's constantly plagued by a series of circles that seem to follow her wherever she goes. The secret, it seems, lies within her DNA... 

I read this all in no more than 2 days and I am so excited for the second book in the series. 

2. XOXO, by Axie Oh 

(13/7/21)

Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music company. When she meets mysterious and dangerously interesting Jaewoo in her uncle's LA Karaoke bar, she knows that this boy could be her undoing. But after one whirlwind of fun, where Jenny is pulled completely out of her comfort zone, Jaewoo disappears. 

For three months at least, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, where she's shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the elite arts school where's she enrolls for the summer. He's also a member of one of the biggest K-pop band in the world and is forbidden to date. 

When a relationship has the potential to destroy everything she has ever worked for, Jenny will have to choose what she's willing to sacrifice for love. 

This sounds like an incredibly sweet story, and it's set in a place I've never read about as of yet. I'm extremely excited to pick it up. 

3. The Mythic Koda Rose, by Jennifer Nisler 

(13/7/21) 

The Mythic Koda Rose is about a girl called Koda (obviously), whose dad was a rock star. Before he died, alone in New York, which is where she is now moving to with her mum. Even though New York is the place that he rose- and fell- to fame, Koda has more pressing matters to think about. Like the fact that she is in love with her best friend Lindsay, and doesn't have the courage to tell her. Agonizing over her own personal dilemmas leads Koda to explore Mack's enigmatic history, in the hope that she can find inspiration herself. She manages to track down her dad's band mate and ex-girlfriend Sadie, to see if they can untangle the web together. As Koda and Sadie grow ever closer, they are both forced to grapple with the black hole that Mack left before, before they fall in themselves. 

This feels like I'll be able to read about a whole other version of New York then the version I usually love to read about. Koda sounds very interesting, and I'm intrigued as for how I'll feel upon reading from her perspective. Also, I haven't read anything like this in AGES and I'm so excited. 

August Releases

1. A Lesson in Vengeance, by Victoria Lee

(3/8/21) 

Now, I don't know a lot about this. Here's what I know is in this book:

-Witchcraft (or rumours of it at least) 

-Mysterious deaths 

-Dark acadamia

-History repeating itself 

-LGBT representation.

Now, this sounds exciting and dark, a perfect read for the colder months, around September/ October time. It's been a while since I've read a witchy book, so I thought I'd stick this on here.

2. The Dead and the Dark, by Courtney Gould 

(3/8/21) 

"The Dark has been waiting for far too long, and it won't stay hidden any longer.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV's ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there's more secrets buried here than they originally let on.
Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness."

To tell you the truth, this sounds vaguelly like The Mythic Koda Rose, just from a different angle. But that doesn't mean I'm any less excited to read it. Especially as this sounds a lot creepier and it's been a while that I've read a book with this kind of feel to it. 

3. Mark of the Wicked, by Georgia Bowers 

(10/8/21) 

All her life, Matilda has been told one thing, to only use magic when necessary. But Matilda has never wanted to be a good witch: she wants the popularity that comes with rebellion. When a spell goes awry and a boy catches her red handed, Mathilda thinks her secret might be out. But far from being accusive and afraid, Oliver already knows about magic- and wants to learn all he can. As the devilish pair grow closer, mysterious events start happening: animals show up with their throats slashed, with odd markings written on their bodies. When a girl turns up dead, all fingers are pointed at Matilda. But she isn't guilty... or at least what she can remember. As her magic starts to spiral out of control, Matilda must decide what makes a good witch, and discover the truth... before anyone else turns up dead. 

It's rare to find a fantasy standalone and when I stumbled upon this debut novel, I knew I had to add it to this list. I'm not totally sure as for when I'll get to it, but this feels like a book for the winter months. It all just feels so creepy and mysterious- it's exciting!

4. In the Wild Light, by Jeff Zentner 

(10/8/21) 

Life in a small Appalachian town isn't easy for Cash. After losing his mum to an opioid addiction, and seeing his grandad slowly die to emphysema, every day is a struggle. Dodging drug dealers and looking out for his best friend Delaney is second nature. They've both been working over the summer to earn some change. 

When Delaney scores them both full rides to an elite school in Conneticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for his grandparents who saved him and the town he would have to leave behind. 

This has the same feel for me as The Girl in Three Parts, which I read last year. It's a simple premise, but definitely packs a powerful punch, just from reading the blurb. It's also got an absolutely gorgeous cover, but that's just a bonus. This'll be top of the list for me summer reads, for definite. 

5. Beyond the Mapped Stars, by Rosalyn Eves

(24/8/21)

"Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Bertelsen dreams of becoming an astronomer, but she knows such dreams are as unreachable as the starts she so deeply adores. As a Mormon girl, her duty is to her family, in the not too far away future, to the man who'll choose to marry her. 

When she unexpectantly finds herself in Colorado, she's tempted by the total eclipse of the sun that's about to happen- and maybe even meeting up with the female scientists she's long admired. Elizabeth must learn to navigate this new world of possibility: with her familial duties and faith tugging at her heartstrings, a new romance on the horizon, and the study of the night sky calling to her, she can't possibly have it all... can she?"

I honestly don't think I've read anything with this kind of premise. I'll never have had enough of reading books of strong females in the 1920s-1960s following their dreams and this portion of this book apealed to me right off the bat. This is the only scienc-y book on this list, so I will most likely be prioritising it as high as I can. 

6. Both Sides Now, by Peyton Thomas 

(24/8/21)

Finally, a book about debate! A book specifically about words and arguing, that doesn't result in violence! I don't know much more and honestly, I didn't need to. 

Other than the fact that this is a book about debate, there's a debate competition. This year's topic: transgender rights. I love the ideas that have been introduced in this blurb, and I can't wait to see what direction the story takes. 

September Releases 

1. The Night When No One Had Sex, by Kalena Miller

(7/9/21)

"It's the night of senior prom, and eighteen-year-old Julia has made a pact with her friends. (Yes, that kind of pact.) They have secured a secluded cabin in the woods, one night without parental supervision, and plenty of condoms. But as soon as they leave the dance, the pact begins to unravel. Alex's grandmother is undergoing emergency surgery, and he and his date rush to the hospital. Zoe's trying to figure out how she feels about getting off the waitlist at Yale- and how to tell her girlfriend. Madison's chronic illness flares, holding her back once again from being a normal teenager. And Julia's fantasy-themed role play gets her locked in a closet. Alternating between each character's perspectives and their ridiculous group chat, The Night When No One Had Sex finds the group of friends navigating their tenuous transition into adulthood and embracing the uncertainty of life after high school. 

This has a very familiar feel (in terms of premise) the Brown Sisters trilogy, by Talia Hibbert. It talks about teenagers living with disorders, and they sound like they're real. You rarely get a book about teenagers that genuinely admit that what they want- that most teenagers won't say out loud- is sex. Of course it's going to go badly wrong, as most well-laid plans do. But I like that they've announced their goal without any shame at all. 

2. All These Bodies, by Kendare Blake 

(16/9/21) 

"Sixteen bloodless bodies. Two teenagers. One impossible explanation.

Summer 1958—a string of murders plagues the Midwest. The victims are found in their cars and in their homes—even in their beds—their bodies drained, but with no blood anywhere.

September 19- the Carlson family is slaughtered in their Minnesota farmhouse, and the case gets its first lead: 15-year-old Marie Catherine Hale is found at the scene. She is covered in blood from head to toe, and at first she’s mistaken for a survivor. But not a drop of the blood is hers.

Michael Jensen, son of the local sheriff, yearns to become a journalist and escape his small-town. He never imagined that the biggest story in the country would fall into his lap, or that he would be pulled into the investigation, when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to.

As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies?"

    I heard about this one so many months ago, but when the time came to start this post, I was so excited to add it to my list. I thoroughly enjoyed the Three Dark Crowns series that concluded a couple of years back, so when I read the premise for this, you can bet I was excited for this release, especially as discovering that it's release date is so close to my birthday! 

3. As If on Cue, by Marisa Kanter

(21/9/21) 

"A pair of fierce foes are forced to work together to save the arts at their school in this swoony YA enemies-to-lovers romance that fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson are sure to adore.

Lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid have never been on the same team. So when their school’s art budget faces cutbacks, of course Natalie finds herself up against her nemesis once more. She’s fighting to direct the school’s first ever student-written play, but for her small production to get funding, the school’s award-winning band will have to lose it. Reid’s band. And he’s got no intention of letting the show go on.

But when their rivalry turns into an all-out prank war that goes too far, Natalie and Reid have to face the music, resulting in the worst compromise: writing and directing a musical. Together. At least if they deliver a sold-out show, the school board will reconsider next year’s band and theater budget. Everyone could win.

Except Natalie and Reid.

Because after spending their entire lives in competition, they have absolutely no idea how to be co-anything. And they certainly don’t know how to deal with the feelings that are inexplicably, weirdly, definitely developing between them…"

Finally! A showdown, haters-to-lovers war that forces two different parts of the art program to work together! This sounds very much like Theatrical, by Maggie Harcourt to me, so if you liked that, I think you'll like this too. I just wish I didn't have to wait until September to read it. 

Okay! Those are all the anticipated releases I have for the next few months! 

I'm not going to lie, that took ages, but I hope you enjoyed reading about them! Let me know in the comments what books you're looking forward to reading soon! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx