TBRs are pretty damn endless. For every one book you tick off the list, there's 3 new releases that get added on.
This is a list of books I'm really excited about this year! I won't necessarily get round to them all - check my 2021 TBR for that list - but these books all caught my eye for one reason or another...
Aurora Cycle 3, Jay Kristoff and Amy Kaufman
Is anyone surprised this is on my list? I finished Aurora Rising on New Years Day and ordered Aurora Burning the minute I closed the book. So the as of yet unnamed Aurora Cycle 3.0 is top of this list. I cannot wait to see where Squad 312 heads next!
Lore, Alexandra Braken
Lore actually came out a couple of days ago (and I'm still debating with myself whether I can buy a copy considering I bought so many books in December!) but this sounds right up my street! Greek myths, deadly games, and an alliance with Athena = yes yes yes yes yes!
The cover first caught my eye scrolling through bookstagram months ago, to the point where I actually thought it was already out. The more I saw the ads the more intrigued I got, and there's only so long I can deny my interest with such an obvious connection to the Greeks!
"For centuries, Zeus has punished the gods with a game called the Agon, which turns them mortal for one week, and at the mercy of being hunted by mortals. After her family's sadistic murder by a rival bloodline, Lore escapes and vows to repay her parents' sacrifice by doing one thing - surviving."
Ace of Spades, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
I can't lie, a lot of what attracts me to this book is the title and artwork that has been released. I know, I know, don't judge a book by its cover...but also, you kinda can't fight it. So yes, I judged the cover, but I wouldn't be putting it on this list if it didn't also sound great.
Ace of Spades strikes me as a Karen McManus style mystery, where Devon and Chiamaka, two picture-perfect students at Niveus Private Academy face having all their secrets told to the world by the mysterious Aces. Described as "black, queer, dark academia" Ace of Spaces explores educational gatekeeping and institutionalised racism and sounds like an incredible exploration of what it means to be in a space others don't want you to be in.
Blood like Magic, Liselle Sambury
An urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who must sacrifice her first love to save her family’s magic. Otherwise known as an instant winner.
I've not done much urban fantasy recently as I prefer fully immersive worlds, but the combination of witches and familial versus romantic love is calling to me! I have a feeling that there will be more to the romance side of things than the blurb tells us because there is no way a witch fighting for her families magic is falling in love with someone unconnected to the plot. I guess I'll have to wait to find out though!
Descendants of the First, Reni Amayo
The sequel to the stunning Daughters of Nri, Descendants of the First follows Naala and Sinai face the world they have created by killing the king...
The magic they used has awakened mythical beasts and the lost gods, calling them back to a broken kingdom. The twin goddesses must quickly learn to get along if they are to rebuild the kingdom and protect the people from the danger which lies just around the corner.
In Deeper Waters, F. T. Lukens
I read a single sentence about this book and decided it was a must-read so I present you now with that same sentence for you to feel the same thing...
"A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean."
Lost in the Never Woods, Aiden Thomas
Given how good Cemetery Boys was, I cannot wait to read more from Thomas!
In this twist on the Peter Pan tale, Wendy has to face life after losing her brothers to the woods. Five years on from their loss and more children are going missing from Astoria. And then Peter turns up.
This fairytale mystery sounds so intriguing and I really love the story of Peter Pan and Neverland, it has such a potential for exploration, especially giving the darkness underlying the tale. Thomas is an incredible writer and I'm really excited to see him play with such a beloved story!
There's an increased diversity in the stories being publishedthis year, which means there's more and more opportunities to read high quality books that reasonate with you. I'm finding myself drawn to queer stories and fantasy and sci-fi by people of colour and I'm so happy that there is an expanding range of stories to satisfy my interests and would love to hear what you're excited for this year!
What books are you most anticipating in 2021?