My Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019 (who would I be if this wasn’t late by a month)

Honestly, I was considering just putting all of my anticipated releases into the Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag.

But then I remembered that I had a post for my anticipated releases of the first half of the year, and I like to be really consistent (obviously evidenced by my posting practices).

Also, more content for the blog, I guess??

Anyways, most of the July books in this post are probably going to have released already. Nice.

(I usually try to do One Bullet for every book whenever I talk about them, but now I’m rethinking EVERYTHING and I might fool around and do Multiple Bullets for books so that your eyes don’t die from huge chunks of text. What are we thinking lads, your eyes or me being consistent?)

(I’m choosing your eyes. You would not believe your eyes)

By the way, I’m still terrible at replying to comments!!! So. WORKING ON THAT TODAY.

july

   

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (release date 7/9/19)

• This book is really hyped (which makes me SO HAPPY) and it’s already released, and I really need to read this soon. I’m debating waiting to purchase a physical copy or via other source instead of reading the digital review copy that I have??? IDK WHICH TO DO, FELLAS.

The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee (release date 7/16/19)

• I’m the one-person-fan-club for this book even though I haven’t read it yet!! Sadly, I haven’t seen that many people talk about this book so this is me talking about it for the fifth time: RETELLING OF KYOSHI FROM AVATAR. LOOK AT THAT COVER. LOOK AT THAT AUTHOR. HELL YES

The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen (release date 7/30/19)

• This has crows (crows!) and I’ve already started reading this one because I have an arc and I’m really loving the concept so far!! I think there’s a pretty steep learning curve because it uses too many hard words and I’m feeling pretty puzzled pretty often, which isn’t necessarily Good. But I still have high hopes!! (edit: I finished this book and I have no idea what I’m going to rate it, but either 3 stars or 4? hahahaha)

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Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells (release date 7/30/19)

• I also have an arc of this and I need to read it soon (omg omg omg why haven’t I read this yet, please don’t hate me Simon & Schuster) but… not even going to lie right now… the cover is a bit underwhelming irl on an arc. However, girlfriends and dragons.

Truly Madly Royally (release date 7/30/19)

• This cover is so so cute, even though there’s a weird colored bar/strip on the side (seriously what is that) (I’ve said this before but WHAT IS IT) and this looks like an interracial relationship AND the boy is a prince, okay???? I will always die for my royalty YA books.

august

   

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (release date 8/6/19)

• This cover is really ugly but also kind of pretty at the same time, and I’m just amazed at its versatility! (There are so many covers like this.) Anyways, this is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, which is like YES but also can this book do it better than Barbie: Twelve Dancing Princess? We shall see.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee (release date 8/13/19)

• Wowowow I really love this cover and the concept of it all: a Chinese girl in the 1890s secretly writing a column in the newspaper, and ~overturning~ society’s concepts of gender/etc. How cash money is that. I also really liked Stacey Lee’s Under a Painted Sky so I’m just!! HYPE.

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph (release date 8/20/19)

• I just now read the synopsis and I lowkey still have no idea what this book is about except like ~contemporary stuff~ but I mean you know I love my covers!!! And this cover is gorgeous. The shade of yellow on the cover and the shade of red that is the spine make me unexplicably happy and I don’t know why.
• (If anyone wants to buddy read this… let me know.)

september

    

 

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin (release date 9/3/19)

• I know a lot of people really adore the cover, but honestly? When I first saw/heard of this book, I saw this cover and was like ew and did not relate to all the people who were anticipating it.
• But somehow… by a stroke of fate… I read the synopsis… and it actually sounds good??? LIKE REALLY GOOD?? I want this witch hunter and witch romance. (But seriously I am not a fan of the big piece of metal in the middle of the cover. Like is that snake a metal pokemon? Is it a snake metal statue? We don’t know!)

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron (release date 9/3/19)

• I was originally going to do the UK cover for this book (because I find it more aesthetic) but then I decided to do the US one because it matches the rest of the book covers. The things I do for my aesthetic pleasure! (even though I will never, ever look at this post again after today).
• The concept of this book reminds me a lot of Everless, but hopefully this is a lot better than Everless because it was trash.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (release date 9/10/19)

• This is one of those novels that aren’t YA but the entire YA community just adores it/is anticipating it and I am also here for it! (Raise your hand if you heard of it because of Melanie.)
• Also, I had to read the synopsis like three times to fully comprehend what was going on but, to my surprise: Gideon is not a necromancer but a swordswoman. We love a book that gives us a plot twist before we even start reading it.

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Frankly, I feel it’s pretty ~iconic~ that I was able to only list six titles for the entire month of September. It was mainly because I didn’t want to have seven (and have one row only contain one book) but also, I totally did it for you guys. *blows kiss*

   

The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas (release date 9/10/19)

• Everything about this appeals to me. First of all, it’s an ownvoices retelling of the Ballad of Mulan. Remember when we had that Mulan retelling… but with white characters? (I’m talking about The Traitor’s Kiss.)
• Anyways, the cover fills me with so much happiness because like wow! That sky in the background! The title! Also, Sherry Thomas! (Even though I haven’t even read any of her books!)

Frankly in Love by David Yoon (release date 9/10/19)

• I feel like I radiate Big Dumb Energy all year round, but I specifically radiated a lot of Dumb energy when I realized that Frankly in Love is about Frank Li. Who is in love. And Frank Li = Frankly. WHO MADE THIS TITLE.
• Anyways, this is about a Korean teen who wants to date someone white, and he fake dates with another Korean girl to get away with it!!! FAKE DATING, Y’ALL. I’m very excited. (Somebody should buddy read this one with me too!!)

The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring (release date 9/24/19)

• So, this is about a boarding school at the southern tip of South America and apparently this boarding school is HAUNTED and people start acting possessed?? Which is intensely terrifying, and I’m a coward, but I’m going to force myself to read it because I’m actually super intrigued. (also I get Wilder Girls vibes?)

october

    

Rebel by Marie Lu (release date 10/1/19)

• I definitely need to reread the Legend series before I start this (is anyone holding a readathon/readalong series for this??? I’m gonna join) and also, I kind of didn’t retain anything from Prodigy or Champion. I remember the ending (and being devastated)??? And some vague fighting?? But like… yeah.

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis (release date 10/1/19)

• Honestly I’m juust here for this cover because it looks very Wild West and it’s also so gorgeous and that model!!! Wow. Also, if you look at the synopsis on Goodreads, it lists the “roles” of each person in the group and Clementine is the catalyst. Like, imagine someone saying “oh what do you do in this group?” and you’re just like “I’m the catalyst”

Crier’s War by Nina Varela (release date 10/1/19)

• So, this is a dystopian novel with robots serving as having control over humans and it’s also an f/f enemies-to-lovers romance? Where the human wants to slay the robot but then ends up saving her accidentally??? I HAVE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE ABSOLUTELY LOVING THIS.

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Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (release date 10/8/19)

• Honestly, no one is surprised by this one!!! I’m very intrigued by secret societies and I also want to read more adult books so, of course yes. (I lowkey feel like I’m not as obsessed with Bardugo as everyone else is?? And I haven’t even read King of Scars yet lmao rip.) Also, I demand to know why this cover is so ugly.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett (release date 10/8/19)

• I’m pretty sure this is a dystopia based off of the real world (and the past) and it just sounds so good! In this world, people believe that young girls have magical powers that work on men and release them into the forest, where they need to be “purified” by getting rid of their marriage.
• And then there’s also hunters in the woods who take advantage of this and sell body parts on the black market?? So?? THIS SOUNDS REALLY INTRIGUING.

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh (release date 10/8/19)

• Vampires aren’t something that I’m truly invested in (unless I’m having a specific craving to read about them) but I mean… IT’S RENÈE AHDIEH!!! I loved her The Wrath and the Dawn duology so, so much and it looks like this one, filled with vampires and what seems like a reluctant romance, will be just as good.
• (Even though I was a little bit disappointed with the conclusion of her The Flame in the Mist duology, we don’t talk about that. I’m still excited!!!)

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The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao (release date 10/15/19)

• I genuinely don’t know if all of my blog readers know, but I’m Chinese and this book is an #ownvoices novel based off of Chinese mythology and I NEED it. And Katie Zhao is literally a freaking ANGEL who supports bloggers and I just: love her a lot. Also, her goodreads review of her book made me emo(tional).

Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters (release date 10/22/19)

• This is a modern day retelling of the story of the Minotaur, with the events in the maze being broadcasted to the world. The main character, Ariadne, is stuck between helping this boy win the contest and letting him die to benefit her family’s fortune.
• I mean, I 100% don’t trust Theseus but like… we all know what Ariadne is going to choose. And I would like to see the aftermath.

A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy (release date 10/19/19)

• So, I just read the synopsis and there’s not only a sister-vs-sister plotline in here, but there’s fey in this and also a prince!!! And I know they may be cliche, but I literally love princes in fantasy so so so so much. Also, this is set in a North-African inspired fantasy and I’m just hoping that both of the sisters are somehow able to survive (PLEASE).

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The Light at the Bottom of the World by London Shah (release date 10/29/19)

• I have… thoughts on this cover and the fact that all of the very long title is just squished onto one line and you can barely read over half of the words but… whatever. The main character is a racer named Leyla McQueen, and you know what that reminds me of? LIGHTNING MCQUEEN.
• Even though the Cars franchise is a meme, I genuinely enjoyed the first movie and I thought that it had some pretty touching themes, you know??? Also, the entirety of humanity is submerged in the ocean which is pretty cool I guess

Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland (release date 10/29/19)

• The main character is a soulwalker, who can travel into other people’s souls while they sleep⁠— and every time, there’s been a black door. She’s been warned not to open it, but then she DOES (this main character radiates dumb energy and I live for it) and I would like to know what happens. Like does she die????
• Also, I’ve heard that this has really good ace representation, which is very lacking in YA fantasy!

november

   

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White (release date 11/5/19)

• I took a look at that cover and immediately died after. How could I NOT read that, with the cover looking as beautiful as it does?? Also, this is based off of Arthurian legend!!! As someone who’s a huge fan of medieval stuff, I am here for this. (Let’s pray this isn’t as SLOW AND BORING as Kiersten White’s novel, And I Darken.)

Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao (release date 11/5/19)

• I haven’t even read Julie’s first two books in the Rise of the Empress world, but this one looks so freaking good and the cover is so pretty (the BEST out of all of Julie’s covers) and apparently this is a VERY short read. (I feel like I need to read the rest of the series before this one though… AHHHH)

Sisters of Shadow and Light by Sara B. Larson (release date 11/5/19)

• This cover isn’t… ugly but it’s also not… pretty… It’s just something about that shade of color that those bricks are… and the general color palette.. I’m just a little disappointed…
• But anyways, this gives me very Sleeping Beauty vibes, because there are two sisters trapped inside of a castle!! And then suddenly somebody is able to enter the castle! I mean, I genuinely do not understand what on earth the quote in the first section of the synopsis means, but like whatever.

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Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender (release date 11/12/19)

• Yes, this is the YA Book Snake that’s also in the cover of Ninth House, but how come this cover is just so much prettier than Ninth House????? This is set in the Caribbean where the protagonist schemes her way into the upper ranks, where the colonizers thrive, and I’m Here For It. Get your coin.

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney (release date 11/12/19)

• This is an #ownvoices book with a Muslim protagonist who’s popular, has good grades, and is dating a jock. However, the jock’s family is actually Islamophobic, and they don’t know about our mc’s religious identity. Over the course of the story, the protagonist starts studying Islam and embracing it!

Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao (release date 11/19/19)

• I haven’t seen any reviews of the revised edition of this novel, but for now, I genuinely believe that Amélie is trying to remove the problematic elements of this book, and once this novel is published (if it’s fixed), I’ll be really excited to read it! Because ANASTASIA RETELLING.

december

Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen (release date 12/3/19)

• This is literally the ONLY book I know of publishing in December of 2019, and honestly??? I’m ok with that. This is set in a time period (early 1800s) where Jane Austen books are popular and the main character is in LOVE with them, and I think there’s also a murder mystery with the romance?? Anyways, I really want to read this and more YA romances set in this time period sooooo if you know of any… please tell me!

What are YOUR anticipated releases of 2019 that aren’t on here? Do we have any in common? Which covers do you think are really ugly? Which covers would you die for? How do you feel about the Cars movies? Are you planning on re/reading the Legend series before Rebel?