Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

Okay so I don’t do a ton of Top Ten Tuesday posts, but this is a topic that I am ALL about. I have been stalking a lot of Fall ’19 releases and I am so excited for some titles coming out later this year that I had to join in on this week’s topic.

Top Ten Tuesday is a prompt hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

So clearly I am a huge YA fantasy buff, so a lot of these titles are fantasy books that I can’t wait for. I feel like the good fantasy books either came out pretty early this year or they are coming out in Fall, but this summer doesn’t hold a lot of titles that I am excited about. So I have been REALLY looking forward to some of these books to finally get here. If you’ve been reading my Can’t Wait Wednesday posts, you may have already heard me screaming about some of these, but my hype is excessive for these babies.

The books are in order of publication.

There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool

Publication Date: 9/3/19

The Age of Darkness approaches.
Five lives stand in its way.
Who will stop it… or unleash it?

For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.

All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. As chaos takes hold, five souls are set on a collision course:

A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.

One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer? Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Children of Blood and Bone, and An Ember in the Ashes.

This is probably my most anticipated read right now. I absolutely love high fantasy novels and this one looks spectacular. The characters sound super interesting, a prince, a killer, a leader, a gambler and a dying girl. There are so many reasons why this book sounds up my alley and I have pretty high expectations and I hope that it lives up to them!

Only Ashes Remain by Rebecca Shaeffer

After escaping her kidnappers and destroying the black market where she was held captive, all Nita wants is to find a way to live her life without looking over her shoulder. But with a video of her ability to self-heal all over the dark web, Nita knows she’s still a prime target on the black market.

There’s only one way to keep herself safe.

Nita must make herself so feared that no one would ever dare come after her again. And the best way to start building her reputation? Take her revenge on Fabricio, the boy who sold Nita to her kidnappers. But killing Fabricio is harder than Nita thought it would be, even with Kovit by her side. Now caught in a game of kill or be killed, Nita will do whatever it takes to win.

After reading Not Even Bones I am so excited to read the sequel. I have a physical ARC and am excited to dive back in to this series full of morally grey characters. I think that this series is pretty unique and I really need to see what happens next!

The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy

Publication Date: 9/24/19

A PRISONER OF FATE

As Queen of the island kingdom of Calanthe, Euthalia will do anything to keep her people free—and her secrets safe—from the mad tyrant who rules the mainland. Guided by a magic ring of her father’s, Lia plays the political game with the cronies the emperor sends to her island. In her heart, she knows that it’s up to her to save herself from her fate as the emperor’s bride. But in her dreams, she sees a man, one with the power to build a better world—a man whose spirit is as strong, and whose passion is as fierce as her own…

A PRINCE AMONG MEN

Conrí, former Crown Prince of Oriel, has built an army to overthrow the emperor. But he needs the fabled Abiding Ring to succeed. The ring that Euthalia holds so dear to her heart. When the two banished rulers meet face to face, neither can deny the flames of rebellion that flicker in their eyes—nor the fires of desire that draw them together. But in this broken world of shattered kingdoms, can they ever really trust each other? Can their fiery alliance defeat the shadows of evil that threaten to engulf their hearts and souls?

This adult fantasy looks great. I have an eARC and I hope that I might be able to participate in the blog tour for this title. Queens and princes, magic and political games. I can’t help but be intrigued by this one.

Shadow Frost by Coco Ma

Publication Date: 10/1/19

IN THE KINGDOM OF AXARIA, a darkness rises.

Some call it a monster, laying waste to the villagers and their homes.
Some say it is an invulnerable demon summoned from the deepest abysses of the Immortal Realm.
Many soldiers from the royal guard are sent out to hunt it down.

Not one has ever returned.

When Asterin Faelenhart, Princess of Axaria and heir to the throne, discovers that she may hold the key to defeating the mysterious demon terrorizing her kingdom, she vows not to rest until the beast is slain. With the help of her friends and the powers she wields—though has yet to fully understand—Asterin sets out to complete a single task. The task that countless, trained soldiers have failed.

To kill it.

But as they hunt for the demon, they unearth a plot to assassinate the Princess herself instead. Asterin and her companions begin to wonder how much of their lives have been lies, especially when they realize that the center of the web of deceit might very well be themselves. With no one else to turn to, they are forced to decide just how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect the only world they have ever known.

That is… if the demon doesn’t get to them first.

The gorgeous cover on this one caught my attention, but the blurb is why this is on my most anticipated list. I have a physical ARC of this book coming in the mail and I can’t wait for it to get here. The early reviews sound INCREDIBLE and I can’t wait until my copy is in my hands.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: 10/1/19

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

I have read most of Leigh Bardugo’s books, and don’t get me wrong, I love the Grishaverse books, but it is time to move on. So I am absolutely thrilled that Leigh Bardugo is diving into adult fantasy. I am so excited for this one, a main character who has lived through traumatic experiences and secret societies of Yale? I would pick this one up regardless of who wrote it, but am even more excited that it is written by Leigh Bardugo!

Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo

Publication Date: 10/8/19

The streets of Creije are for the deadly and the dreamers, and four crooks in particular know just how much magic they need up their sleeve to survive.

Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her.

Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him.

Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself.

And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge.

Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.

So this book just recently came across my radar and I am so glad that it did. I have an eARC and I am having a hard time waiting to read it. I am a sucker for fantasy books set in shady cities with main characters that are thieves. Dark magic, criminals and gangsters and a fight to save the world.

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

Publication Date: 10/8/19

Tuesday Mooney is a loner. She keeps to herself, begrudgingly socializes, and spends much of her time watching old Twin Peaks and X-Files DVDs. But when Vincent Pryce, Boston’s most eccentric billionaire, dies—leaving behind an epic treasure hunt through the city, with clues inspired by his hero, Edgar Allan Poe—Tuesday’s adventure finally begins.

Puzzle-loving Tuesday searches for clue after clue, joined by a ragtag crew: a wisecracking friend, an adoring teen neighbor, and a handsome, cagey young heir. The hunt tests their mettle, and with other teams from around the city also vying for the promised prize—a share of Pryce’s immense wealth—they must move quickly. Pryce’s clues can’t be cracked with sharp wit alone; the searchers must summon the courage to face painful ghosts from their pasts (some more vivid than others) and discover their most guarded desires and dreams.

A deliciously funny ode to imagination, overflowing with love letters to art, from The Westing Game to Madonna to the Knights of the Round Table, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is the perfect read for thrill seekers, wanderers, word lovers, and anyone looking for an escape to the extraordinary.

This book is not receiving as much hype as some of the others on this list, but it really should be. I don’t even know how I stumbled across this one, but as soon as I read the blurb about epic treasure hunts and Tuesday trying to decipher clues, I wanted it. LUCKY ME has a physical ARC and am super excited to read it and share my opinions about it with all of you.

The Furies by Katie Lowe

Publication Date: 10/8/19

In 1998, a sixteen-year-old girl is found dead.

She’s posed on a swing on her boarding school’s property, dressed all in white, with no known cause of death. Whispers and rumors swirl, with no answers. But there are a few who know what happened; there is one girl who will never forget.

One year earlier: a new student, Violet, steps on the campus of Elm Hollow Academy, an all-girl’s boarding school on the outskirts of a sleepy coastal town. This is her fresh start, her chance to begin again in the wake of tragedy, leave her demons behind. Bright but a little strange, uncertain and desperate to fit in, she soon finds herself invited to an advanced study group, led by her alluring and mysterious art teacher, Annabel.

There, with three other girls—Alex, Grace, and Robin—the five of them delve into the school’s long-buried grim history: of Greek and Celtic legends; of the school founder’s “academic” interest in the occult; of gruesome 17th century witch trials. Annabel does her best to convince the girls that her classes aren’t related to ancient rites and rituals, and that they are just history and mythology. But the more she tries to warn the girls off the topic, the more they drawn to it, and the possibility that they can harness magic for themselves.

Violet quickly finds herself wrapped up in this heady new world of lawless power—except she is needled by the disappearance of a former member of the group, one with whom Violet shares an uncanny resemblance. As her friends’ actions take a turn for the darker and spiral out of control, she begins to wonder who she can trust, all the while becoming more deeply entangled. How far will these young girls go to protect one another…or to destroy one another?

This book was compared to the movie The Craft, so I watched it and I now I really can’t wait to read this. I love boarding school settings, but add in witches and mean girls and I am super excited. I have a physical ARC of this as well.

Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon

Publication Date: 10/29/19

The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land’s greatest honor…and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.

In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.

When Alu’s ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to live an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.

But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.

Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself.

Gravemaidens is one of my most anticipated titles of this Fall. This book caught my attention the second that I saw it. It sounds so intriguing with themes of family at the center of it. It looks like a darker fantasy tale, which is of course right up my alley. I have an eARC of this one and I can’t wait to finally read it.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Publication Date: 11/19/19

He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…

This series has been quite an emotional roller-coaster and I am SO ready and so excited for the conclusion. I absolutely love this world and all of the characters in it. Lucky for me the release of The Queen of Nothing has been moved up to November, so I don’t have to wait too much longer.

 

Let’s Chat!

Are there any books on this list that you can’t wait for? What are some of your most anticipated releases of the second half of 2019? What books are you dying to get your hands on? Make sure to comment below so we can talk about our most anticipated releases for the second half of 2019.