Most Anticipated Books of 2016

  Happy New Year everyone!  I'm glad that 2015 is coming to a close; it was a very stressful year full of academic woes and health issues.  I know this sounds cliche, but it feels like I'm starting from scratch in 2016.  I should only have about a year of recovery left after this year, (which will probably be more like two, but I'm optimistic for once), I just started my ideal job at the library and I'll be starting my Library and Information Science degree at URI at the end of the month, officially beginning my career as a librarian.  I feel like I can finally relax now and get on with my life instead of waiting around for nothing.  I can finally move forward now that I know exactly what I want for myself.  That being said, I hope that whatever your goals for 2016 may be that you achieve them with gusto.  I have a bad habit of not following through, so I try not to make promises, even to myself.  My only resolution for next year is to stay alive, which I think I can manage.
    This year, as I discussed in my previous post, we had a lot of great books.  This coming year is no exception, which is why I wanted to highlight some of my most anticipated books of 2016.  This is a list solely based on what I am personally excited about, not necessarily a list of ALL the popular books coming out next year, (that would be a very long post and one I don't think many people would get through).  I'll mention each book in the order in which they will be released and then I will note my top three most anticipated books for next year.  I will also link each title to it's Goodreads page for those of you who want to read more about each book and check them out!

(goodreads.com)

    Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard:  Aveyard saw success last year with her best-selling book Red Queen, which is the first book in this series.  I read her first book and really enjoyed the story and the characters.  Mare Barrow has been revealed to the kingdom as a red-blooded normal girl with the silver ability to control lightning, which is considered an abomination.  After the kingdom suffers a blow and the new King Maven is appointed to the throne, he'll stop at nothing to get to Mare back.  Mare seeks to find more of her own kind in order to build an army to fight back against the vindictive new king.  This book sounds a lot more action-packed than the first, so I'm hoping that's true.  I'm also curious to see what the aftermath of the shocking twist of the end will look like.  Glass Sword comes out February 9th.

(goodreads.com)

    The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine:  This book intrigued me because it's a retelling of Snow White and sounds very similar to the Snow White story line from Once Upon a Time.  Our main character, Lorelai, is a princess who possesses magic, but has been banished from her kingdom of Ravenspire after the evil Queen took her throne and killed her father.  In a neighboring kingdom, Prince Kol is propositioned by the evil Queen of Ravenspire after a band of magical ogres kill his family and he is left unprotected.  She promises him magical assistance in exchange for his services in hunting down Lorelai and bringing back her heart.  This sounds incredibly juicy and the addition of magic to this story makes it even better.  I love the idea of a courageous and completely independent Snow White-like character, so I'm hoping Lorelai is the champion we deserve from this story.  The Shadow Queen debuts February 16th.

(goodreads.com)

    A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab:  I have been waiting for this book for a long time!  It feels like I read A Darker Shade of Magic ages ago, but it was only last January, almost a year ago.  LOOK AT THAT COVER THOUGH.  This is the second book in this adult fantasy series and follows Kell, the last of his kind of magicians who can travel between alternate universes.  It has been four months since the events at the end of the first book and all seems well.  Kell has given up smuggling between dimensions and is preparing for the Element Games, a pageant to keep pleasant ties between countries, including Red London, Kell's home.  But Black London is stirring after the unfortunate events from four months ago and Delilah is on her way back from her trials at sea at the least opportune moment.  I have very high expectations for this book, so I hope it lives up to them.  A Gathering of Shadows comes out February 23rd.

(goodreads.com)

    Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare:  Although I won't have to wait too long between books for this one, (seeing as I finished City of Heavenly Fire in November of this year), I am still planning on going to the closest book store and buying it immediately upon its release.  As you all know by now, I am OBSESSED with the Shadowhunters series and this is Clare's next installment.  This new series takes place at the Los Angeles institute five years after the events in City of Heavenly Fire.  Emma Carstairs has been determined to find out what happened to her murdered parents.  She lives at the institute with the Blackthorn family, including her parabatai and best friend Julian, who lost his father five years ago as well.  Mundanes and Downworlders are being murdered around Los Angeles and they look eerily familiar to Emma's parents' own murder.  In order to find out what's happening and determine the connection between the murders, the Shadowhunters and the Fair Folk will initiate an uneasy alliance in order to stop the bloodshed.  If all goes according to plan, The Fair Folk will release one of the Blackthorns they have held captive for the past five years.  The stakes are high, but will they succeed in time?  Forbidden love, a race against time and a Downworlder feud for the ages make this story sound irresistible.  With the TV show set to start in 12 days and this new book I CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE SHADOWHUNTERS!  Lady Midnight comes out March 8th.

(goodreads.com)

    A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas:  OH MY GOD THIS BOOK.  I've wanted this book since the minute I finished ACOTAR and the NEED IS STRONG.  As you know, ACOTAR was my favorite book of 2015, so I have just cause to want this book.  This will be the second book in this new trilogy, (?), by Maas, who has become one of my favorite authors.  Feyre is struggling with her guilt after the events that took place at the end of the first book.  She has paid a heavy price for her freedom and the freedom of the High Fae she now calls friends.  Feyre also has to hold up her end of her bargain with the High Fae of the Night Court, the powerful Rhysand.  Feyre will have a chance to use her powers for good and prevent a great evil from striking the Night Court.  I have heard that this book may include elements of the Persephone mythology, much like the first book was a nod to Beauty and the Beast.  I want there to be a love triangle SO BAD.  Does that make me a horrible person?  Personally, I'm all for Rhysand and whatever he wants to do, so bring it on!  I can't see how I could be disappointed in this book and it's still so far away!  A Court of Mist and Fury comes out May 3rd.

(goodreads.com)

   Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine:  I read the first book in The Great Library series, Ink and Bone, this past year and really enjoyed the alternative reality that would be our present if The Great Library of Alexandria still existed.  The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world and Jess Brightwell has gone from a child smuggler of rare books to a soldier in the Library's army.  All is not as it seems and Jess soon finds himself in trouble again, fleeing Alexandria, away from the girl he loves, home to London in order to escape the Library's automata.  He must use his quick thinking skills to survive and decide where his loyalties truly lie.  The first book was a bit slow paced, but I'm hoping this will have a lot more action in it.  Paper and Fire comes out July 5th.

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    Throne of Glass #5 (no title) by Sarah J. Maas:  Maas is so important to me that she made my list twice!  After reading Queen of Shadows in 2015 and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.  Aelin has succeeded in asserting herself on the throne in her own kingdom, but will she hold her people's adoration for long?  Magic and non-magic people are feuding and the remaining kingdoms of Erilea are beginning to shatter.  In order to save her world from looming dark forces, she must embark on a quest that may endanger those she holds dear.  There are going to be a total of six books in this series, so the synopsis definitely sounds like the beginning of the end for Aelin's adventures.  I'm praying for a happy ending for all of my precious cinnamon rolls, (talking about you Dorian!)  Although there's no title or picture for this book yet, I did find something pretty sweet while I was snooping for some inside info.  There has been talk of the Throne of Glass series being optioned as a TV series!  I'm praying that this becomes a reality, but only if it's similar to Game of Thrones.  There's an article that talks a little about this development from September with recommendations for casting.  Check it out in the link here!  Book five in the Throne of Glass series debuts September 6th.

(goodreads.com)

    The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon:  There's no picture for this book either, plus a really pathetic synopsis, but considering the release date I'm not surprised.  This will be the third, (and final?), installment to the Bone Season series.  This series follows Paige Mahoney as she discovers her incredible clairvoyant powers as well as an alien invasion, a crime lord murder and a secret government plot.  There's a lot going on in this series so it's difficult to summarize, but basically Paige has to save everyone and ignore her feelings.  There's a revolution starting in Scion London and Paige, as the new Mime Lord of her sector, she is in charge of protecting her new subjects.  Someone is out there to prevent Paige from succeeding, an enemy of her past.  Will she finally be strong enough to stop the onslaught of destruction?  This adult series has really surprised me and although it took me a long time to finish the first book, I really enjoyed it.  The story is original, complex and intriguing in the way both sci-fi and fantastical elements collide in a whirlwind of action.  I'm really excited to see where this ends.  The Song Rising comes out November 3rd.

    Overall, my top three books that I'm most anticipating for 2016 are A Court of Mist and Fury, Lady Midnight and the fifth Throne of Glass book, in that order.  Those are the series that I'm most obsessed with at the moment, so those are the books I'm going to focus most of my energy on in the coming year.  Luckily I won't have to wait too long for Lady Midnight!  What books are you eagerly anticipating in the new year?  Are you pumped about any on my list?  Let's discuss in the comments below or you can hit me up on any of my social media platforms.  I hope everybody has fun at the various New Year's celebrations tonight.  See you all in 2016!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.