I've never been one to count down for a book release, mostly because I'm a cheap skate and my library in Wales was never regularly updated their selction. So imagine my surprise when I moved to the US and saw that libraries here have a 'Lucky Day!' section filled to the brim with brand new releases, even down to the exact day of publication. These are all the books I'm going to be on the look out for in 2020.
Goodreads summery: In 1956 Sarah Dewhurst's father shocks her by hiring a dragon to work the farm. The dragon is a smaller blue rather than the traditional larger reds, though even the reds are now scarce. When the blue dragon, Kazimir, unexpectedly saves Sarah and her friend Jason Inagawa from the attentions of the racist police deputy, Kelby, everything changes. Sarah is part of a prophecy and she must escape the clutches of Malcolm, an assassin from a Believer Cell, the dragon-worshiping cult. When Sarah, Malcolm and Kazimir eventually converge, they are thrown into another universe, where dragons seem never to have existed. Can they save this world and the one they left?
My thoughts: I have read a good majority of Patrick Ness's work, and I've loved all of it. He has mystical knack for making me enjoy magically realism which is honestly mind blowing. If you haven't yet read A Monster Calls, do yourself a favour and get to it. Just be prepared to have a box of tissues.. maybe two. This new novel by him sounds really intriguing, I mean, dragons! I'm all in.
Publish date: May 7th
Goodreads synopsis: When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister--whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice--back to their home on the Moors. But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome. Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken.
My thoughts: Do I just want to read this to further fuel my husband's rage? A little. Though he has only read the first book in this YA series, he had a whole lot to say about it. Check out his post that I'll link at the bottom of this post. I, however, kinda really like this series. I loathed the third book, but absolutely adored the fourth. I can't exactly put my finger on why enjoy these short novella-like books, but I keep coming back or more.
Publish date: January 7th
Goodreads synopsis: Leading Ladies do not end up on tabloid covers. After a messy public breakup, soap opera darling Jasmine Lin Rodriguez finds her face splashed across the tabloids. When she returns to her hometown of New York City to film the starring role in a bilingual romantic comedy for the number one streaming service in the country, Jasmine figures her new “Leading Lady Plan” should be easy enough to follow—until a casting shake-up pairs her with telenovela hunk Ashton Suárez.
My thoughts: Goodreads is marketing this as 'perfect for fans of The Kiss Quotient and Jane The Virgin. That's all I needed to read. Can't wait.
Release date: July 7th
Goodreads synopsis: The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While they were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction without ever lifting a finger. Well, that’s not exactly true. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories. Months later, the world is as confused as ever. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online about the world post-Carl; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda infiltrates a new scientific operation . . . one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension.
My thoughts: When I read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing I had no idea there was going to be a sequel, so I was very happy when I saw this as I really enjoyed this sci-fi-modern-day-YA book. It took me by complete surprise, and though I would've been happy with the open ending, I'm happy to jump back into the world and see what the hell is going on.
Release date: July 7th
Goodreads synopsis: To most people, Quan Diep is nothing but a surly-looking, underachieving playboy. The problem is he’s not any of those things. And now that he’s the CEO of an up-and-coming retail business, he’s suddenly a “catch,” and the rich girls who never used to pay any attention to him are looking at him in a new way—especially Camilla, the girl who brushed him off many years ago. Anna Sun dislikes Quan Diep almost as much as germy bathroom door handles. Or so she tells herself. She will never admit that she has a secret crush on him, especially because he only has eyes for her charismatic and newly engaged younger sister Camilla. Over the years, Anna has worked hard to overcome her OCD, but she’ll still need to find a way to bury her anxieties and seduce Quan so he doesn’t ruin her sister’s engagement, and with it, a crucial real estate development deal. Slowly, Anna breaks down Quan’s dangerous and careless exterior while peeling off her own tough, protective shell. But when Quan discovers Anna’s true intentions, he’s forced to confront his own hurtful past and learn to forgive, while Anna must face her greatest challenge: truly opening herself up to love.
My thoughts: I'm torn on this book, it's my most risky pick on this list. I adored The Kiss Quotient but was thoroughly disappointed with it's sequel The Bride Test. So this is going to be a hit or miss. Quan is my second favourite character in the series, which definitely makes me more interested. This will be my deciding vote on whether I want to continue checking out Hoang's work. No pressure, book.
Release date: May 4th
Goodreads synopsis: The plan is to leave. As for how, when, to where, and even why—she doesn’t know yet. So begins a journey for the twenty-four-year-old narrator of Days of Distraction. As a staff writer at a prestigious tech publication, she reports on the achievements of smug Silicon Valley billionaires and start-up bros while her own request for a raise gets bumped from manager to manager. And when her longtime boyfriend, J, decides to move to a quiet upstate New York town for grad school, she sees an excuse to cut and run. Moving is supposed to be a grand gesture of her commitment to J and a way to reshape her sense of self. But in the process, she finds herself facing misgivings about her role in an interracial relationship. Captivated by the stories of her ancestors and other Asian Americans in history, she must confront a question at the core of her identity: What does it mean to exist in a society that does not notice or understand you?
My thoughts: This book popped up on my Goodreads homepage one day and now I'm counting down the days until my library gets it in. This synopsis touched my heart without even trying, and the cover is gorgeous. I'm so very intrigued.
Release date: March 31st
Goodreads synopsis: When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan. But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future. After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind. That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision. Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.
My thoughts: Booktube brought this book to my attention, and I'm so thankful it did. It sounds like a mix between One True Loves and Maybe In Another Life, both books by Taylor Jenkins Reid but that I equally enjoyed. This sounds like it's going to destroy my heart and I can't wait to sob into my pillow.
Release date: March 3rd
Honourable mention:
Anxious People
by Fredrik Backman
This doesn't have a synopsis or a page on Goodreads, it does however pop up when you Google Fredrik Backman and says that it's expected release will be sometime in August. I don't need to know more than that it's written by Backman. His books take up so much room in my heart, and I will always pick up whatever he writes (or whatever gets translated).
So there we have it, all the books I'm anticipating. I now release that all of them come out in the first half of the year, so perhaps there'll be a part 2 sometimes in June.
What book release are you waiting for?
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