I thought the “slay a lion” part of this week’s prompt strangely specific, but otherwise I was very excited for this topic. There are many upcoming releases that I’m looking forward to. In fact, one of my favourite things to do when I get bored is to browse Goodreads lists of upcoming releases, which seem to be available sometimes a year or two in advance. I have so many books currently on my TBR that won’t be out until at least 2019! Part of my challenge with this week’s topic was to find books that I’d love to get early that aren’t part of a series. I have quite a few books on my list because I’m very interested in starting the series but haven’t done so yet, so it would be hard to say I’d love to get those early.
It’s also practically impossible for me to read books early. I think I’ve only ever read one ARC, and I’m always a little concerned that things will change in the final version. I definitely don’t have enough experience with them to know how much they are likely to change by the finished copy. Actually, ARCs kind of confuse me since I see so many people online talking about books, and it isn’t until later that I realize they haven’t actually come out yet. In any case, I don’t actively seek out ARCs. If anything, I’m actually usually a little behind on the trends because I avoid books that are extremely overhyped until some of the hype dies down. I also need to wait until they are available from the library, and that can take some time. In any case, there are tons of books that I’m really excited for!
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
1) Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh
I think it’s safe to say I’d slay a lion to get this one early since there is still no set release date for it! This book was first announced in 2015, and has been pushed back repeatedly since then. It is currently listed on Amazon is being released in 2050, which is their code for “no one knows when!” Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half was by far one of my favourite books that I read last year, and one of the few books that I wanted to re-read the second I finished it. I am looking forward to more of her comics and her hilarious yet meaningful commentary on a variety of situations. As far as I can tell, there hasn’t been any recent news about this book at all and still no word about if or when it is going to be released at all. I’m not even sure if it’s accurate to say I want this one early, since it’s more like I just want it to be released at all.
2) What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
A book by two of my new favourite YA authors seems too good to be true. This book is due out this October (just in time for my birthday!) so it is still quite a while away. It is about two boys, Arthur and Ben, who meet at a post office in New York, while Ben is carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things to send back. I have only read one Adam Silvera book so far and two by Becky Albertalli, but they all became immediate favourites. Both authors are talented at writing realistic and relatable characters, and I’m very interested to see how their two styles will mix. I would assume that each author is writing the perspective of one of the main characters, but I would love to see how they blend together. It also sounds like a really cute story, and if it’s anything like the others I’ve read from both of these authors, I know I’ll love it. I can’t wait for this book!
3) Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Uprooted was another book that became a fast favourite last year, and I was very excited to see something new by Naomi Novik coming out this July. For some reason, I’d always assumed Uprooted was her debut so I was surprised to find she already had the 9-book Temeraire series which began in 2006, although I’m not sure how much that one interests me. Spinning Silver definitely seems a lot more up my alley since it is a retelling of the classic Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale. This book is about Miryem, who comes from a line of moneylenders, and sets out to collect debts to her family. In the process, Miryem earns the reputation of being able to turn silver into gold, which of course others want to exploit. Part of what I loved about Uprooted was the fairy tale atmosphere but with such a unique story, and it seems like this will be along the same lines.
4) Final Draft by Riley Redgate
Can it really count as wanting to get this book early when it’s release is only about 6 weeks away? I absolutely loved Noteworthy, but found Seven Ways We Lie a little underwhelming. This book is about a high school senior who had always been told that she was a talented writer. When her teacher is replaced with a Pulitzer Prize winning author who is extremely critical and difficult to impress three months before graduation, Laila quickly becomes obsessed with trying to please her. Honestly, I was a little on the fence since the synopsis made reference to “the psychedelic highs and perilous lows of nightlife, temporary flings, and instability” which is not necessarily something I like reading about, but I love the concept of struggling to impress a teacher. In my own last year of high school, I had a very strict English teacher who seemed impossible to impress although maybe not as bad as the teacher in this book. It seems like an interesting and unique concept for a YA book, and I’m looking forward to trying it.
5) 500 Words or Less by Juleah del Rosario
This is another book that I’m dying to read because it is another unique concept that I’ve never seen in a book before. This book is about a high school senior named Nic who, in attempt to improve her reputation among her classmates, offers to write their college admissions essays for them. Part of why this interested me is because my friends/family have often joked that I could easily run an essay-writing service since I loved doing research and didn’t mind writing papers, while most of the classmates despised it. I never actually did that of course, but it was kind of an interesting idea. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this topic addressed in a book instead of as a very clear black-or-white issue of running it as an intentional scam. In this case, it seems like the book actually explores that fine line between helping and just plagiarizing. I’m so glad to see YA books about a wider variety of topics, and I can’t wait to read this one when it comes out in September!
6) A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
This is another book that is coming out just in time for my birthday (leading to the constant struggle with whether to get the hardcover upfront, or wait several months for the paperback to match the rest), and I am always dying to read new books by Jodi Picoult! I’m not sure what’s been going on with Jodi Picoult’s last couple of books, but it seems like they keep getting delayed. I remember Leaving Time was pushed back, and if I recall correctly, so was Small Great Things. Her latest release, due out this October, is about a hostage situation that takes place at a women’s reproductive health clinic. Jodi Picoult’s books always take on such important and timely topics, and I’m interested to see her take on this one. I love how she always presents the issues from multiple angles, to the point where it is hard to even tell where her own biases lie. Reproductive rights was partially touched on in Sing You Home, but I’m glad she’s decided to revisit it from a different perspective. Aside from the storyline, the cover art for this one is just beautiful and definitely sparks my interest that much more!
7) A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs
I had no idea that there were any plans for more books set in the world of the Peculiars, so I was very excited to see this one come up on Goodreads. I know a lot of people were disappointed with the series, but I really enjoyed it and I would love to see more of these characters. This book is due out in early October, and it follows Jacob and the others returning back to the present day and trying to fit in. I tend to love stories about characters from other worlds who are trying to blend in and pass themselves off as regular people, and I already know that I enjoy Ransom Riggs’ writing style. I’m not entirely sure how they plan to carry this plotline into another trilogy but I’m definitely interested in giving it a chance. There is no news at all yet about when the next two books will be released or what they might be about, but I’m sure that will come in time. In the meantime, I’m definitely excited to revisit this world and these characters.
8) On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Honestly, the plot for this one probably wouldn’t have interested me that much but Angie Thomas is such a talented writer that I want to give it a chance. It is about a 16-year-old girl named Bri who wants to become a rapper like her late father, especially when her family faces financial struggles that make her success no longer an option but a necessity. I’m not a huge fan of rap in general, or of stories about people trying to become a celebrity, but if The Hate U Give is anything to go on, this book should have some very compelling characters who will bring a lot more depth to the story than I usually expect from this kind of plot. This book was originally scheduled to be released later on this year, but Angie Thomas has recently confirmed that it has been pushed back to early February 2019 instead. I was nervous that The Hate U Give wouldn’t live up to the hype, and I’m a little nervous about this one as well, but I’m hoping it will be just as strong.
9) The (Best) Worst Case Scenario by Sandy Hall
This is another case where I’m dying to read this book just because that would mean it was finally getting released! It has been on my TBR since October 2016, when I first noticed it on Goodreads, and it has since been pushed back repeatedly. Currently, it is set to be released at the end of August 2019! I have no idea why this book has been pushed back so often when others by the same author have been released instead. The plot is tricky to describe, especially without any character names available so it kind of becomes pronoun-overload, however it is advertised as being good for fans of Glee. I’ll admit I’ve never really watched the show but I’m familiar enough with it and I love musical theater in general. I also have every Sandy Hall book on my TBR, despite only reading one of them so far, because they all seem so cute. I really want to know what the hold-up is with this one! After literally waiting two years, I’m hoping it’s worth it!
10) 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Unfortunately, there’s no cover art available for this one yet! This was another pretty unusual case, where a different book, The Comfort Zone, was announced and then inexplicably shelved indefinitely. It was odd because there seemed to be quite a bit of hype surrounding it, but the author commented on Twitter that she wasn’t happy with it and couldn’t finish it. It’s a shame because it seemed like an interesting story. Instead, a new book called 99 Percent Mine was announced, due out in January 2019. I’ve only just found the synopsis today — it is about a woman named Darcy who met the man of her dreams, Tom, when she was 8, who also happens to be her twin brother’s best friend. When Darcy has only three months to get her life together and get the cottage she and her brother inherited from their grandmother, Tom arrives to help and is single for the first time in a decade. Darcy is determined to finally make Tom hers, but isn’t sure whether he can get past seeing her as a little sister. Up until last year, I probably would have avoided this kind of book but Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game became a surprise favourite! I’m looking forward to reading this one, but I’m a bit disappointed that The Comfort Zone never happened.
Abyssal Librarian 