Every third Sunday of the month, the Monogamist Reader will provide you with a dedicated post for all the sequels coming out during the month. This post is a recurring section of this blog, it was originally a list to help me to catch up with my TBR and all the series I am reading.
This list will include sequels only or exceptionally book number X of a long series and special novella. If there is a big number of sequels, I may occasionally create a separate post exclusively for duologies at the end of the month (as a Series We Need To Say Goodbye To post).
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but now they’re officially boyfriends. Charlie’s beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.
Nick’s been feeling the same, but he’s got a lot on his mind – not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.
As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means.
Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.
The fourth volume of the bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel is finally out and I really need to grab the first volume ASAP. After hearing the news that there will be a TV adaptation, I am officially having a case of FOMO. Heartstopper Volume Four is out on 13 May.
Reeling from betrayal at the hands of the Whispers, Renata Convida is a girl on the run. With few options and fewer allies, she’s reluctantly joined forces with none other than Prince Castian, her most infuriating and intriguing enemy. They’re united by lofty goals: find the fabled Knife of Memory, kill the ruthless King Fernando, and bring peace to the nation. Together, Ren and Castian have a chance to save everything, if only they can set aside their complex and intense feelings for each other.
With the king’s forces on their heels at every turn, their quest across Puerto Leones and beyond leaves little room for mistakes. But the greatest danger is within Ren. The Gray, her fortress of stolen memories, has begun to crumble, threatening her grip on reality. She’ll have to control her magics–and her mind–to unlock her power and protect the Moria people once and for all.
For years, she was wielded as weapon. Now it’s her time to fight back.
For all the fans of this story and Renata, who have been left with that cliff-hanger at the end of book one, you can finally breath. The sequel of Incendiary is finally coming out on 11 May.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Raven Boys, a mesmerizing story of dreams and desires, death and destiny.
The stakes have never been higher as it seems like either the end of the world or the end of dreamers approaches.
Do the dreamers need the ley lines to save the world . . . or will their actions end up dooming the world? As Ronan, Hennessy, and Bryde try to make dreamers more powerful, the Moderators are closing in, sure that this power will bring about disaster. In the remarkable second book of The Dreamer Trilogy, Maggie Stiefvater pushes her characters to their limits – and shows what happens to them and others when they start to break.
I am so scared to pick up this book. I got my Owlcrate copy a couple of days ago and I am so scared to read it after everything that happened in Call Down The Hawk. Please, don’t hurt Ronan or Adam. Sigh. Mister Impossible is out on 18 May.
In the second book of The Loop trilogy, Luka is trapped in a fate worse than death. But now that he knows the truth about what him and his fellow inmates are being used for, it’s more important than ever that he not only escapes, but that he builds an army.
Luka in a prisoner once again. But this time it’s a fate worse than death. In the Block, he must toggle between enduring an Energy Harvest for twelve hours of the day and surviving complete immobilization. The only semblance of relief is the Sane Zone, created to keep prisoners from going completely mad. In this virtual reality, the prisoners live out their fantasies of life outside. But for Luka, it’s different.
Happy is determined to find out the location of his friends, who disappeared after the Battle of Midway Park. But can Luka battle the descent into madness long enought to stop Happy’s manipulation tactics and keep his friends’ location safe?
Another prison break is the only chance to protect the Missing. And as reality becomes increasingly scrambled on the outside, it’ll take an army to stop Galen from carrying out his plans.
I heard so many great things about the first book of this trilogy – The Loop. It’s a story about a futuristic death row for under 18s, which is actually a long purgatory. The second book comes out on 4 May.
Which sequel are you looking forward to reading? Let’s discuss in the comments!
Every Monday the Monogamist Reader blog will publish a list of all the new YA releases that will come out the following Tuesday. This post is a fixed appointment and a recurring section of this blog from its very beginning. I initially started posting it as a way to personally discover new reads and, thanks to the positive comments received so far, it became a recurring section and characteristic of this blog.
Please note, a separate post is dedicated to sequels, trilogies or book series, usually towards the end of the month.
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead.
In Thanopolis, those gifted with magic are assigned undead spirits to guard them—and control them. Ever since Rovan’s father died trying to keep her from this fate, she’s hidden her magic. But when she accidentally reveals her powers, she’s bound to a spirit and thrust into a world of palace intrigue and deception.
Desperate to escape, Rovan finds herself falling for two people she can’t fully trust: Lydea, a beguiling, rebellious princess; and Ivrilos, the handsome spirit with the ability to control Rovan, body and soul.
Together, they uncover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis. To save them all, Rovan will have to start a rebellion in both the mortal world and the underworld, and find a way to trust the princess and spirit battling for her heart—if she doesn’t betray them first.
I just got my copy a couple of days ago via Illumicrate. I can’t wait to start reading this story of a pansexual bloodmage who must team up with an undead spirit and start a rebellion. It sounds so awesome!! In The Ravenous Dark is out on 18 May.
Jeremy Harkiss, cheer captain and student body president, won’t let coming out as a transgender boy ruin his senior year. Instead of bowing to the bigots and outdate school administration, Jeremy decides to make some noise—and how better than by challenging his all-star ex-boyfriend, Lukas for the title of Homecoming King?
Lukas Rivers, football star and head of the Homecoming Committee, is just trying to find order in his life after his older brother’s funeral and the loss long-term girlfriend—who turned out to be a boy. But when Jeremy threatens to break his heart and steal his crown, Lukas kick starts a plot to sabotage Jeremy’s campaign.
When both boys take their rivalry too far, the dance is on the verge of being canceled. To save Homecoming, they’ll have to face the hurt they’re both hiding—and the lingering butterflies they can’t deny.
May The Best Man Win is a story of a trans body who decides to challenge his ex boyfriend to the title of Homecoming King. This debut contemporary romance is out on 18 May and if you want to find out more about it, I recommend this review by The Elven Warrior.
Morgan, an elite track athlete, is forced to transfer high schools late in her senior year after it turns out being queer is against her private Catholic school’s code of conduct. There, she meets Ruby, who has two hobbies: tinkering with her baby blue 1970 Ford Torino and competing in local beauty pageants, the latter to live out the dreams of her overbearing mother. The two are drawn to each other and can’t deny their growing feelings.
But while Morgan–out and proud, and determined to have a fresh start–doesn’t want to have to keep their budding relationship a secret, Ruby isn’t ready to come out yet. With each girl on a different path toward living her truth, can they go the distance together?
Some Girls Do sounds like a very sweet rom-com, it’s a story of an openly gay athlete who falls in love with a closeted bisexual and beauty queen with a passion of fixing up old cars. Some Girls Do is from the author of Hot Dog Girl and it’s out on 18 May.
Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”—and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity…and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.
In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.
Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself—back home, she was never “American” enough, and in Japan, she must prove she’s “Japanese” enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?
Tokyo Ever After is a new novel from the author of Empress of all Seasons and We’ll Never Be Apart. It is an hilarious and heartfelt novel recommended for fans of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Princess Diaries. This is out on 18 May.
There’s nothing Valerie Kwon loves more than making a good sale. Together with her cousin Charlie, they run V&C K-BEAUTY, their school’s most successful student-run enterprise. With each sale, Valerie gets closer to taking her beloved and adventurous halmeoni to her dream city, Paris.
Enter the new kid in class, Wes Jung, who is determined to pursue music after graduation despite his parents’ major disapproval. When his classmates clamor to buy the K-pop branded beauty products his mom gave him to “make new friends,” he sees an opportunity—one that may be the key to help him pay for the music school tuition he knows his parents won’t cover…
What he doesn’t realize, though, is that he is now V&C K-BEAUTY’s biggest competitor.
Stakes are high as Valerie and Wes try to outsell each other, make the most money, and take the throne for the best business in school—all while trying to resist the undeniable spark that’s crackling between them. From hiring spies to all-or-nothing bets, the competition is much more than either of them bargained for.
But one thing is clear: only one Korean business can come out on top.
Made in Korea is described as Frankly in Love (highly recommended) and Shark Tank. It’s a rom-com about two young Korean Americans who will compete for the best Korean beauty business in their high school. If you want to find out more, you can read this great review by The Quiet Pond. This is out on 18 May.
Don’t you just love the smell of old books in the morning?
Madeline Moore does. Books & Moore, the musty bookstore her family has owned for generations, is where she feels most herself. Nothing is going to stop her from coming back after college to take over the store from her beloved aunt.
Nothing, that is—until a chain bookstore called Prologue opens across the street and threatens to shut them down.
Madeline sets out to demolish the competition, but Jasper, the guy who works over at Prologue, seems intent on ruining her life. Not only is he taking her customers, he has the unbelievable audacity to be… extremely cute.
But that doesn’t matter. Jasper is the enemy and he will be destroyed. After all—all’s fair in love and (book) wars.
Last Chance Books is a rom-com for all bookworms out there. It’s a mix of You’Ve Got Mail and Morgan Matson. It’s a smart, banter-filled romance with a bookish vibe. This is out on 18 May.
Ever since seventeen-year-old Josie Wright can remember, writing has been her identity, the thing that grounds her when everything else is a garbage fire. So when she wins a contest to write a celebrity profile for Deep Focus magazine, she’s equal parts excited and scared, but also ready. She’s got this.
Soon Josie is jetting off on a multi-city tour, rubbing elbows with sparkly celebrities, frenetic handlers, stone-faced producers, and eccentric stylists. She even finds herself catching feelings for the subject of her profile, dazzling young newcomer Marius Canet. Josie’s world is expanding so rapidly, she doesn’t know whether she’s flying or falling. But when a young actress lets her in on a terrible secret, the answer is clear: she’s in over her head.
One woman’s account leads to another and another. Josie wants to expose the man responsible, but she’s reluctant to speak up, unsure if this is her story to tell. What if she lets down the women who have entrusted her with their stories? What if this ends her writing career before it even begins? There are so many reasons not to go ahead, but if Josie doesn’t step up, who will?
From the author of Full Disclosure, Off The Record is a story of a teen journalist who tries to uncover a big scandal. This is considered a testament of the #MeToo movement and all the ways women stand up for each other. This is out on 18 May.
Which of these books are you planning to read or add to your TBR?
Have you read any of these books? Share your review here in the comments for fellow readers!
Every Monday the Monogamist Reader blog will publish a list of all the new YA releases that will come out the following Tuesday. This post is a fixed appointment and a recurring section of this blog from its very beginning. I initially started posting it as a way to personally discover new reads and, thanks to the positive comments received so far, it became a recurring section and characteristic of this blog.
Please note, a separate post is dedicated to sequels, trilogies or book series, usually towards the end of the month.
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Lara’s had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He’s tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he’s talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe…flirting, even? No, wait, he’s definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara’s wanted out of life.
Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers.
Lara has everything she ever wanted: a tight-knit group of friends, a job that borders on cool, and Chase, the boy of her literal dreams. But if she’s finally got the guy, why can’t she stop thinking about the girl?
Cool for the Summer is a Grease inspired rom-com with a bisexual love triangle. It’s a story about love and self-discovery. If you are curious to hear more about this story, check out this review by Baltimore Bibliophile. This is out on 11 May.
Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but one terrifying fall shatters her leg–and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it.
After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and binging ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected–namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive cast mate she just might be falling for.
But to move forward, Alina must make peace with her past and face the racism she had grown to accept in the dance industry. She wonders what it means to yearn for ballet–something so beautiful, yet so broken. And as broken as she feels, can she ever open her heart to someone else?
Touching, romantic, and peppered with humor, this debut novel explores the tenuousness of perfectionism, the possibilities of change, and the importance of raising your voice.
Alina’s story is an aspiring dance who, after suffering a massive injury, she has to start dealing with a life without ballet. It’s recommended for fans of Sarah Dessen and Mary H.K. Choi. The Other Side of Perfect is out on 11 May.
Tru Beck is a teenage girl from Pennsylvania who lives in a world that has become trapped in a fold in time and space, where “real” time has stopped but humanity continues to mark artificial time based on a website called N3WCLOCK.com. Tru lives in a house that has a switch at its center. No one knows what the switch controls, but her father continually builds larger and larger boxes around the switch (Tru lives in Box #7).
Tru leaves the box through a Tru-shaped hole to go to school, where she pays no attention to the new “Solution Time” curriculum. In fact, the only interesting thing that’s ever happened to Tru at school is when she discovers (on her first try) that she can throw a javelin farther than any human has ever thrown anything before in human history.
Switch is a surreal and contemporary novel which explores the topic of isolation and human connection. This is written by A.S. King, award winning author of Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future and highly praised Crawl Through It. It’s out on 11 May.
It seems it’s the contemporary novel season.
If you love rom-com you should look forward to the following weeks’ releases!
Every Monday the Monogamist Reader blog will publish a list of all the new YA releases that will come out the following Tuesday. This post is a fixed appointment and a recurring section of this blog from its very beginning. I initially started posting it as a way to personally discover new reads and, thanks to the positive comments received so far, it became a recurring section and characteristic of this blog.
Please note, a separate post is dedicated to sequels, trilogies or book series, usually towards the end of the month.
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea.
She soon discovers the truth: She is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won’t be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions:
A squire, forced to choose between home and honor. An immortal, avenging a broken promise. An assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty. An ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight. A forger with a secret past. A bounty hunter with a score to settle.
Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.
Even if the Red Queen series had a very disappointing and anti-climatic ending, I am so curious to read Victoria Aveyard‘s new novel, Real Breaker. I’ve heard so many great things about this novel already and I recommend reading this review by Raji @Worlds Unlike Our Own, she did a great job at convincing me to read it. This is out on 4 May.
Eighteen-year-old Ziva prefers metal to people. She spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power.
Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword capable of stealing its victims’ secrets. A sword that can cut far deeper than the length of its blade. A sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees.
Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely.
From the author of the beloved The Shadow Between Us, Tricia Levenseller, a new novel about a blacksmith with social anxiety who is forced to run away because she just made one of the most powerful swords ever. I want this book so badly!! Blade of Secrets is out on 4 May.
Books whisper to Beatrix Alba. But they aren’t the reason she has never fit in. Bullied at home and school, she keeps a secret—a power of violence and darkness.
When the spell that keeps her hidden fails, she’s catapulted into the Zweeshen, a realm where all tales live, and her dream of meeting her favorite characters comes true. But wishes are tricky, and behind its wonder and whimsy, the Zweeshen is under attack. A character is burning bookworlds in pursuit of a weapon to rule both stories and storytellers. To succeed, he needs a riddle in Beatrix’s keeping.
Now he’s hunting her down.
Joining forces with William, a cursed conjurer, Beatrix must face an enemy who knows her every weakness in a realm where witches play with time, Egyptian gods roam, and Regency heroines lead covert operations. And with her darkness as the only weapon, she may have to sacrifice everything to save a world that rejects her.
This book sounds like the secret dream of every bookworm, being able to enter the world of every book you read. I got more excited and intrigued about this story after reading Deekay’s review @Life of Deekay. This is out on 4 May.
Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, beyond the horizon, she has a sister named Kay. Determined to find her, Cee devotes her days to building a boat from junk parts scavenged inland, doing everything in her power to survive until the day she gets off the island and reunites with her sister.
In a world apart, 16-year-old STEM prodigy Kasey Mizuhara is also living a life of isolation. The eco-city she calls home is one of eight levitating around the world, built for people who protected the planet―and now need protecting from it. With natural disasters on the rise due to climate change, eco-cities provide clean air, water, and shelter. Their residents, in exchange, must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible to reduce their environmental footprint. While Kasey, an introvert and loner, doesn’t mind the lifestyle, her sister Celia hated it. Popular and lovable, Celia much preferred the outside world. But no one could have predicted that Celia would take a boat out to sea, never to return.
Now it’s been three months since Celia’s disappearance, and Kasey has given up hope. Logic says that her sister must be dead. But as the public decries her stance, she starts to second guess herself and decides to retrace Celia’s last steps. Where they’ll lead her, she does not know. Her sister was full of secrets. But Kasey has a secret of her own.
This is a new novel from the writer of Descendant of the Crane. It has been described as We Were Liars mixed with Black Mirror, and it sounds like it will offer a super engaging and twisty plot. This novel is out on 4 May.
Karina Ahmed has a plan. Keep her head down, get through high school without a fuss, and follow her parents’ rules—even if it means sacrificing her dreams. When her parents go abroad to Bangladesh for four weeks, Karina expects some peace and quiet. Instead, one simple lie unravels everything.
Karina is my girlfriend.
Tutoring the school’s resident bad boy was already crossing a line. Pretending to date him? Out of the question. But Ace Clyde does everything right—he brings her coffee in the mornings, impresses her friends without trying, and even promises to buy her a dozen books (a week) if she goes along with his fake-dating facade. Though Karina agrees, she can’t help but start counting down the days until her parents come back.
T-minus twenty-eight days until everything returns to normal—but what if Karina no longer wants it to?
Counting Down With You is a contemporary novel about a Bangladeshi teenager who agrees to fake-date her school’s well-known “bad boy”. This sounds like such a sweet rom-com, I’m sure if you love the fake-date trope, you need to add this to your TBR. I will also recommend reading Ahanna’s post @Windows To Worlds, where she interviews the writer, Tashie Bhuiyan. Counting Down With You is out on 4 May.
Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.
When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.
In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.
Meet Cute Diary is the story of a transgender’s first love who questions his ideas about perfect relationships. This is described as Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli. This is out on 4 May.
After being betrayed by her best friend, Avery is hoping for a picture-perfect summer. Too bad her parents have dragged her and her sister to a remote family camp for the entire summer. And that’s not even the worst part. Avery also has to deal with no internet, a cute but off-limits staff member, and an always-in-her-face sister.
But what starts as a disaster turns into a whirlwind summer romance as Avery embarks on an unexpected journey to figure out what she truly wants and who she wants to be.
Sunkissed is a rom-com about a girl who is forced to attend a family summer camp but.. love is in the air! This swoony contemporary romance is out on 4 May.
Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?
Well. Kind of a lot?
They’re barely off the train before they’re dealing with destroyed phones, family drama, and unexpected Pomeranians. Over the next few hours, they’ll have to grapple with old flames, terrible theater, and unhelpful cab drivers. But there are also cute boys to kiss, parties to crash, dry cleaning to deliver (don’t ask), and the world’s best museum to explore.
Over the course of a wild night in the city that never sleeps, both Kat and Stevie will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future.
That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.
Take Me Home Tonight is a new rom-com from the author of Since You’ve Been Gone, Morgan Matson. It’s described as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off meets Nora’s Infinity Playlist and takes place in the city that never sleeps – New York. You can read this great review by I’m All Booked Upand get this book on 4 May.
Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud” and all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing . . .
Then an anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.
Together, they journey through everything Quinn’s been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.
From the first reviews I read on Goodreads, Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry may sound like the next chit lit but it is praised as a story with relatable characters and a profound discussion about race. You can hear more about this novel from this awesome review by Kristi @Confession of a YA Reader. The book will be out on 4 May.
Southampton, 1912: Seventeen-year-old British-Chinese Valora Luck has quit her job and smuggled herself aboard the Titanic with two goals in mind: to reunite with her twin brother Jamie–her only family now that both their parents are dead–and to convince a part-owner of the Ringling Brothers Circus to take the twins on as acrobats. Quick-thinking Val talks her way into opulent firstclass accommodations and finds Jamie with a group of fellow Chinese laborers in third class. But in the rigidly stratified world of the luxury liner, Val’s ruse can only last so long, and after two long years apart, it’s unclear if Jamie even wants the life Val proposes. Then, one moonless night in the North Atlantic, the unthinkable happens–the supposedly unsinkable ship is dealt a fatal blow–and Val and her companions suddenly find themselves in a race to survive.
Stacey Lee, master of historical fiction, brings a fresh perspective to an infamous tragedy, loosely inspired by the recently uncovered account of six Titanic survivors of Chinese descent.
This title sounds absolutely interesting. Luck of the Titanic is an imaginary story about Valora and Jamie Luck, British-Chinese twins, acrobats travelling on the Titanic. This novel from the author of The Downstairs Girl is based on the recently uncovered accounts of Chinese descent survivors of the Titanic tragedy. It’s out on 4 May.
Which of these books are you planning to read or add to your TBR?
Which of these books are you most excited to read?
I hope you are having a lovely weekend so far and enjoying the Spring weather.
I have taken some time off work so I had some time to finally dedicate time to personal admin stuff. I came to the conclusion it is time I put myself on a book ban. No more books, until I go through at least a half of the ones I have (I think “half” is a more realistic compromise than “all the books I got”). I think the unread pile-of-books situation I got is getting out of control. My impulse to request whatever book with a pretty cover I see on NetGalley doesn’t help. Even right now, while I am writing this piece, I am fighting an inward battle with myself to prevent me from requesting something (specifically Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim).
So, I thought, it would be helpful for me to write this post every month from now on, as a way to keep me accountable.
I have a few books on pre-order, and they are staying. Same for book subscriptions, I will still keep them.
April Book Haul
I am sorry, I pre-ordered Blessed Monsters ages ago, and I am aware of all the controversy regarding the writer. I still want to know where it will go. The second book was terrible, but I want to know how much worse it will get. Red Wolf is actually a physical arc. House of Hollow is a signed copy I bought together with the ticket for a virtual event and The Bright & The Pale came with the March FairyLoot box.
NetGalley
These are my latest NetGalley approvals. I am so excited to read all of them. I am currently reading These Hollow Vows and it’s fantastic!
TBR Check In
Titles I will delete from my TBR:
I came to the conclusion that, if I haven’t read these books during the last couple of years, it’s probably time to be honest with myself and admit I have no intention to read them in the very near future. Luckily they are in my Kindle so they don’t take much space, but still… I feel bad. Also, you can see from these titles how I used to read whatever, but then the weight of the world was too much to bare, and I chose my form of escapism: YA books.
Titles I added to my TBR:
These are the latest books I added to my TBR after being inspired by you guys and your lovely posts. I just hope I will get to read them soon, hahaha.
At the end of April my physical TBR pile of books have come to: 47 books. 😱
That’s it guys. Let the book ban start!
Share in the comment your tips. How do you keep track of your TBR? Do you check it regularly?
Every Monday the Monogamist Reader blog will publish a list of all the new YA releases that will come out the following Tuesday. This post is a fixed appointment and a recurring section of this blog from its very beginning. I initially started posting it as a way to personally discover new reads and, thanks to the positive comments received so far, it became a recurring section and characteristic of this blog.
Please note, a separate post is dedicated to sequels, trilogies or book series, usually towards the end of the month.
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Grace Welles had resigned herself to the particular loneliness of being fifteen and stuck at a third-tier boarding school in the swamps of Florida, when she accidentally saves the new kid in her class from being beat up. With a single aim of a slingshot, the monotonous mathematics of her life are obliterated forever…because now there is this boy she never asked for. Wade Scholfield.
With Wade, Grace discovers a new way to exist. School rules are optional, life is bizarrely perfect, and conversations about wormholes can lead to make-out sessions that disrupt any logical stream of thoughts.
So why does Grace crush Wade’s heart into a million tiny pieces? And what are her options when she finally realizes that 1. The universe doesn’t revolve around her, and 2. Wade has been hiding a dark secret. Is Grace the only person unhinged enough to save him?
Acidly funny and compulsively readable, Mercedes Helnwein’s debut novel Slingshot is a story about two people finding each other and then screwing it all up. See also: soulmate, friendship, stupidity, sex, bad poetry, and all the indignities of being in love for the first time.
Slingshot is a contemporary romance debut novel, it’s about falling in love the first time and messing it all up. It’s recommended for fans of Mary H.K. Choi and Rainbow Rowell and it’s out on 27 April.
Abby needs to escape a life that she no longer recognizes as her own. Her old life–the one where she was a high school volleyball star with a textbook-perfect future–has been ripped away. Abby and her sister, Brooke, have received a letter from their estranged dad informing them he has Huntington’s disease, a fatal, degenerative disorder that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. And when the sisters agree to genetic testing, one of them tests positive.
Fleeing to Catalina Island for the summer, Abby is relieved to be in a place where no one knows her tragic history. But when she meets aspiring documentary filmmaker Ben–tall, outdoorsy, easygoing, with eyes that don’t miss a thing–she’s thrown off her game. Ben’s the kind of guy who loves to figure out people’s stories. What if he learns hers?
Fade Into the Bright is a new novel from the author of Georgetown Academy. This contemporary romance has been described as Five Feet Apart mixed with Tell Me Three Things. It’s a story about two sisters, one summer and diagnosis that will change everything. It’s out on 27 April.
Priya worked hard to pursue her premed dreams at Stanford, but a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease during her sophomore year sends her back to her loving but overbearing family in New Jersey—and leaves her wondering if she’ll ever be able to return to the way things were. Thankfully she has her online pen pal, Brigid, and the rest of the members of “oof ouch my bones,” a virtual support group that meets on Discord to crack jokes and vent about their own chronic illnesses.
When Brigid suddenly goes offline, Priya does something out of character: she steals the family car and drives to Pennsylvania to check on Brigid. Priya isn’t sure what to expect, but it isn’t the horrifying creature that’s shut in the basement. With Brigid nowhere to be found, Priya begins to puzzle together an impossible but obvious truth: the creature might be a werewolf—and the werewolf might be Brigid. As Brigid’s unique condition worsens, their friendship will be deepened and challenged in unexpected ways, forcing them to reckon with their own ideas of what it means to be normal.
Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is the second debut novel of the week. It’s a story about friendship and chronic illness with a gist of sharp humour. It’s described as Teen Wolf meets Emergency Contact and it’s out on 27 April.
What was your favourite release of April?
Which book are you looking forward to reading next month?
Every last Sunday of the month, the Monogamist Reader will provide you with a dedicated post for all the book series coming to an end during the month. This post is a recurring section of this blog, it was originally a list to help me to catch up with my TBR and all the series I am reading.
This list will not include a synopsis of the third book as I wanted to avoid spoilers, in case you are not familiar with the book list. The book recap and link will be about book number one of the series.
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around the world, Athan Dakar, the youngest son of a ruthless general, is a fighter pilot longing for a life away from the front lines. When Athan’s mother is shot and killed, his father is convinced it’s the work of his old rival, the Queen of Etania—Aurelia’s mother. Determined to avenge his wife’s murder, he devises a plot to overthrow the Queen, a plot which sends Athan undercover to Etania to gain intel from her children.
Athan’s mission becomes complicated when he finds himself falling for the girl he’s been tasked with spying upon. Aurelia feels the same attraction, all the while desperately seeking to stop the war threatening to break between the Southern territory and the old Northern kingdoms that control it—a war in which Athan’s father is determined to play a role. As diplomatic ties manage to just barely hold, the two teens struggle to remain loyal to their families and each other as they learn that war is not as black and white as they’ve been raised to believe.
This trilogy sounds super intriguing, a princess raised in a palace, a fighter raised in revolution. I smell enemies to lovers tropes all over those covers, ha. The Glass Alliance trilogy is described as a mix of Code Name Verity and The Winner’s Curse. The last book of this World Wars-inspired trilogy, Southern Sun, Northern Star is out on 20 April.
A lonely princess. A flying teen. A kidnapped girl who only remembers what happens at night.
Seventeen-year-old Princess Nora is a frost eater who creates magical ice. Her royal life is luxurious but stifling.
Krey West has a rare magical talent: when he eats feathers, he can fly. His one goal is to find his missing girlfriend, Zeisha. He thinks someone in power abducted her.
Krey’s daring feats of magic earn him an invitation to the palace. Craving adventure and friendship, Nora offers to help him find Zeisha. He’s desperate enough to accept—though he hates the monarchy.
The truth is more terrible than they could imagine.
Every night, Zeisha wakes in a dark room full of sleeping people, unable to remember what she did in the light. Her dreams provide violent glimpses into her forgotten days.
If Krey and Nora can’t save her, Zeisha may lose herself forever.
These covers, wow!! The first book of this trilogy has been on my TBR for ages, I read so many positive reviews praising the magic system of this world, so I couldn’t not add it to my want-to-read list. The last book of The Magic Eaters Trilogy, The Stone Eater, is out on 1 April.
Have you read any of these series?
Which of these series are you planning to binge read?
Every Monday the Monogamist Reader blog will publish a list of all the new YA releases that will come out the following Tuesday. This post is a fixed appointment and a recurring section of this blog from its very beginning. I initially started posting it as a way to personally discover new reads and, thanks to the positive comments received so far, it became a recurring section and characteristic of this blog.
Please note, a separate post is dedicated to sequels, trilogies or book series, usually towards the end of the month.
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Divided by their order. United by their vengeance.
Iraya has spent her life in a cell, but every day brings her closer to freedom – and vengeance.
Jazmyne is the Queen’s daughter, but unlike her sister before her, she has no intention of dying to strengthen her mother’s power.
Sworn enemies, these two witches enter a precarious alliance to take down a mutual threat. But power is intoxicating, revenge is a bloody pursuit, and nothing is certain – except the lengths they will go to win this game.
I am so curious to read this novel and I am pretty sure I am not the only one. Witches Steeped in Gold is the debut novel of Ciannon Smart, which is a Jamaican-inspired fantasy about two enemy witches who must form an alliance to defeat a common enemy. Witches Steeped in Gold is out on 20 April, and if you are curious to hear more about it, you can head over onRaji’s blog – Worlds Unlike Our Own – and read her great review.
When twin heirs are born in Tourin, their fates are decided at a young age. While Izaveta remained at court to learn the skills she’d need as the future queen, Asya was taken away to train with her aunt, the mysterious Firebird, who ensured magic remained balanced in the realm.
But before Asya’s training is completed, the ancient power blooms inside her, which can mean only one thing: the queen is dead, and a new ruler must be crowned.
As the princesses come to understand everything their roles entail, they’ll discover who they can trust, who they can love—and who killed their mother.
This is the second debut of this week. These Feathered Flames is a fantasy retelling of the Russian folklore story of the firebird. I had the opportunity to read it a couple of weeks ago (you can find my review here) and I strongly recommend it if you enjoy retellings and intriguing magic systems.
Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family’s kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel.
Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean.
That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming—and secretive—as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom. And Athlen might just be his only hope…
I have been keeping this book under my radar for a long time. Pirates? Yes please! Queer pirates!? I’m in! This novel from the author of Broken Moon series is a mix of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and VirtueandPirates of the Caribbean. This is (finally) out on 20 April.
Hwani’s family has never been the same since she and her younger sister went missing and were later found unconscious in the forest, near a gruesome crime scene. The only thing they remember: Their captor wore a painted-white mask.
To escape the haunting memories of this incident, the family flees their hometown. Years later, Detective Min—Hwani’s father—learns that thirteen girls have recently disappeared under similar circumstances, and so he returns to their hometown to investigate… only to vanish as well.
Determined to find her father and solve the case that tore their family apart, Hwani returns home to pick up the trail. As she digs into the secrets of the small village—and reconnects with her now estranged sister—Hwani comes to realize that the answer lies within her own buried memories of what happened in the forest all those years ago.
The Forest of Stolen Girls is a story of a girl who decides to find out what happened to her father who disappeared while investigating the mysterious disappearance of 13 girls. This is the second historical novel from the South Korean writer June Hur, author of the best seller The Silence of Bones. This is out on 20 April and if you want to hear more about it, I recommend that you read The Elven Warrior’s amazing honest review.
After losing spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up, Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, the incredibly beautiful and incredibly mean Irene Abraham. Things only get worse when their nosey, do-gooder moms get involved and the girls are forced to carpool together until Irene’s car gets out of the shop.
Their bumpy start only gets bumpier the more time they spend together. But when an opportunity presents itself for Scottie to get back at her toxic ex (and climb her school’s social ladder at the same time), she bribes Irene into playing along. Hijinks, heartbreak, and gay fake-dating scheme for the ages. From author Kelly Quindlen comes a new laugh-out-loud romp through the ups and downs of teen romance.
From the author of Her Name in the Sky, She Drives Me Crazy is a rom-com about two high school nemesis who fall in love. This is recommended for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey Mc Quiston, and it will be out on 20 April.
Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.
But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.
Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.
Kate in Waiting is the latest rom-com from the brilliant author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Becky Albertalli. It’s a sweet story about the ups and downs of first (and shared crush) and platonic love. You can read my review hereand you can purchase this novel on 20 April.
Delta of Dead River has always been told to hide her back, where a map is branded on her skin to a rumored paradise called the Verdant. In a wasteland plagued by dust squalls, geomagnetic storms, and solar flares, many would kill for it—even if no one can read it. So when raiders sent by a man known as the General attack her village, Delta suspects he is searching for her.
Delta sets out to rescue her family but quickly learns that in the Wastes no one can be trusted—perhaps not even her childhood friend, Asher, who has been missing for nearly a decade. If Delta can trust Asher, she just might decode the map and trade evidence of the Verdant to the General for her family. What Delta doesn’t count on is what waits at the Verdant: a long-forgotten secret that will shake the foundation of her entire world.
Dustborn‘s story sounds super weird but super intriguing. It’s a story of Delta who discovers a secret that could reshape this post apocalyptic world ruled by a ruthless dictator. It’s a mix of Mad Max and Gunslinger Girl and it will be out on 20 April. Yolanda @Past Midnight wrote a fantastic review, don’t forget to check it out.
Which of these books are you most excited to read?
Every third Sunday of the month, the Monogamist Reader will provide you with a dedicated post for all the sequels coming out during the month. This post is a recurring section of this blog, it was originally a list to help me to catch up with my TBR and all the series I am reading.
This list will include sequels only or exceptionally book number X of a long series and special novella. If there is a big number of sequels, I may occasionally create a separate post exclusively for duologies at the end of the month (as a Series We Need To Say Goodbye Tp Post).
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Lydia returns to Mudaire to enter training at the healing temple. But instead of fighting to save lives, she’s convinced she is doing more harm than good. She delves into the history of the gods only to discover a truth that will change her life forever.
His birthright as commander of the Royal Army is finally in his grasp, but Killian feels anything but victorious. Burdened by his past, he embraces the darker side of his mark—and in doing so, risks starting a war.
BUT THE WAR HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN
Having defeated the tyrant Urcon, Marcus struggles to form a lasting alliance with the Arinoquians. But he is plagued by the knowledge that there is a traitor among his friends, and it could cost him everything that he’s fought for.
Torn between her growing allegiance to the Thirty-Seventh legion and her need to liberate her people, Teriana finds herself mired in a web of secrets. She embarks upon a path that will either save everyone she loves—or put them all in their graves.
I loved book one of the Dark Shores series, it was a solid 5-stars, and I can’t wait to read the sequel. Unfortunately, for some weird reason, book 2 is not out yet in the UK, so not only do I have to wait for book 2 (pre-ordered) but I will have to wait ages for book 3. Sigh. (To be fair, I could get the kindle version available immediately but, I want the paperback which is the same price, so…) Anyway, Gilded Serpent is out on 27 April.
After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally ready to take on the mantle of crown prince. His first task: preparing for the peace talks with Castallan’s former colonizers, the nation of Englass.
But when the summit coincides with the reemergence of Los Toros, the mysterious syndicate of assassins responsible for Alfie’s brother’s death, and Finn’s unexpected installation as one of the four Thief Lords of Castallan, the two must reunite to discover the hidden link between these events—before it’s too late.
Oculta is the sequel of Nocturna, the first book of A Forgery of Magic trilogy. This story is set in a Latinx-inspired world, and it tells a story about a face-changing thief and a prince who need to join forces to defeat a powerful evil unleashed by mistake. Oculta is out on 6 April.
Esta isn’t a stranger to high-stakes heists. She’s a seasoned thief who has no reservations about using her affinity for time to give her an edge, and she’s trained her whole life for one mission: travel back to 1902 New York, steal the ancient Book of Mysteries, and use its power to destroy the Brink and free the Mageus from the Order’s control.
But the Book held a danger that no one anticipated—Seshat, an angry goddess was trapped within its pages. Now that terrible power lives within Harte, and if given the chance, Seshat will use Esta to destroy the world and take her revenge.
Only Esta and Harte stand in her way.
Yet in their search to recover the elemental stones needed to bind Seshat’s power, Esta and Harte have found themselves stranded in time with a continent between them. As Esta fights to get back to Harte, the Order is no longer the only obstacle standing in her way.
Saving Harte—and magic itself—will put even Esta’s skills to the test. And all the while, another danger grows, one more terrible than both Seshat and the Order combined…
I’m not going to lie, I want to read this series just for the stunning covers – and also because I keep hearing amazing things. The Serpent’s Curse is the third book of The Last Magician‘s quartet. It’s a mix of historical fiction, time travel and fantasy and it’s out on 13 April.
Are you reading one of these series? Have you read The Last Magician series? Care to share your thoughts?
Every Monday the Monogamist Reader blog will publish a list of all the new YA releases that will come out the following Tuesday. This post is a fixed appointment and a recurring section of this blog from its very beginning. I initially started posting it as a way to personally discover new reads and, thanks to the positive comments received so far, it became a recurring section and characteristic of this blog.
Please note, a separate post is dedicated to sequels, trilogies or book series, usually towards the end of the month.
I really have fun working on it and love sharing it with you (and adding more books to your TBR!). I hope you find it as useful as it is for me, and if you enjoy this section, don’t forget to share it with your bookish friends.
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.
When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.
Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.
But no one has ever survived.
With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
I think I already fangirled enough about this book, and I am not done fangirling yet *winks*. The Prison Healer is definitely a perfect read for all fans of Throne of Glass. This is officially out tomorrow, 13 April and keep an eye on my blog for something special.
New York Times –bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that’s Scream meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror.
New girl Rachel Chavez is eager to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. But as one of the few scholarship kids, Rachel struggles to fit in, and when she gets caught up in a prank gone awry, she ends up with more enemies than friends.
To her surprise, however, the prank attracts the attention of the Mary Shelley Club, a secret club of students with one objective: come up with the scariest prank to orchestrate real fear. But as the pranks escalate, the competition turns cutthroat and takes on a life of its own.
When the tables are turned and someone targets the club itself, Rachel must track down the real-life monster in their midst . . . even if it means finally confronting the dark secrets from her past.
The Mary Shelley Club is from the bestselling author of Kill The Boy Band, No Good Deed. It’s a YA thriller which is pitched as Scream movies meet Karen McManus, and tell the story about a club obsessed with horror. This is out on 13 April.
Dean Foster knows he’s a trans guy. He’s watched enough YouTube videos and done enough questioning to be sure. But everyone at his high school thinks he’s a lesbian—including his girlfriend Zoe, and his theater director, who just cast him as a “nontraditional” Romeo. He wonders if maybe it would be easier to wait until college to come out.
But as he plays Romeo every day in rehearsals, Dean realizes he wants everyone to see him as he really is now––not just on the stage, but everywhere in his life. Dean knows what he needs to do. Can playing a role help Dean be his true self?
This is a YA debut novel, which tells us an emotional story of a trans boy who is trying to find himself and his own voice. This is out on 13 April.
A thrilling adventure set against an intergalactic war with international bestselling author Charlie Jane Anders at the helm in her YA debut—think Star Wars meets Doctor Who, and buckle your seatbelts.
Tina has always known her destiny is outside the norm—after all, she is the human clone of the most brilliant alien commander in all the galaxies (even if the rest of the world is still deciding whether aliens exist). But she is tired of waiting for her life to begin.
And then it does—and maybe Tina should have been more prepared. At least she has a crew around her that she can trust—and her best friend at her side. Now, they just have to save the world.
Victories Greater Than Death is the new novel and YA debut from the author of All the Birds in the Sky. I strongly recommend this review by Becky @Becky’s Book Blog if you are curious to hear more about it. This is out on 13 April.
Which of these books are you most excited to read?
