March 24, 2017

My Most Anticipated Reads 2017

So, guys, are you ready. REALLY LONG post coming up. Like, really long. And its all words, no pictures. But this is the list of the books I am really looking forward to being released this year. The list of books I am 'hotly anticipating'. All 21? of them. Some I have already preordered, some I will borrow from the library (but am not anticipating them quite enough to shell out for my own copy.) Generally, there are some books that are released later in 2017, but as a general rule I'll have read (or had the opportunity to read) most of these by the end of my summer vacation. (Guess what Ill be doing when Im not in lectures?) Apart from anything else, these should go a way to helping me achieve my Goodreads target for the year. 

Love From Lexie by Cathy Cassidy 
This is a very wonderfully curious entry for an upcoming Cathy Cassidy novel, supposedly the first one in a new series. I know..... it's very exciting. I've not been very up-to-date with reading new Cathy Cassidy books over the last few years, but I dont really know why, because despite being several years older than the target audience, every time that I sit down with one I will devour it and thoroughly enjoy every page. To be quite honest, I'm more excited for the French language version of Scarlett which came out recently because that was always one of my favourites, but I'll definitly look out for this one in the library or on a cheap e-book deal. 

Geekerella by Ashley Poston
Everyone loves a good Cinderella story right? Okay, so I know that not everyone does, but I do. But this one has Comicon's as opposed to balls. And a vegan food truck. So what part of this book am I not gonna lie? Yeah... I dunno. 

The End of Oz by Danielle Paige 
Don't you just love it when trilogies suddenly have a book number 4. That wasn't sarcastic by the way. What would be sarcastic, would be if I told you how much I was looking forward to reading this book after how much I enjoyed reading books one thru three. Because two months after I reserved it from the library, still waiting. But I am full of optimism that when I have finally read the precursors to this book, I will be reading this one. 

Scorched by Joss Stirling 
Probably the one I am most excited about in the whole list, I can't even begin to describe how excited I am when I see Amazon telling me this book is on Kindle pre-order. I've even added into my student diary/planner that I need to get all my homework done early on that week.... cause come April 6th... I'm planning to do nothing else but read (once I get home from uni) (and maybe drinking a few cups of tea). It's the forth (and I think last) book in the series which started with Struck, each book mainly featuring the adventures of a member of the Young Detective Agency and his in-trouble future boyfriend. I think what I mainly love about these books, apart from their ability to make me keep turning pages, is Joss Stirling's incredible ability to get the balance between nail-biting-adrenaline-filled action and suspense, and also a feeling of safety, it never goes quite far enough that you've completely lost hope everything will be okay by the end of the book, or to much you feel uncomfortable. You are just left with that wonderful 'lost in a good book' feeling. 

Cœur Vanille  by Cathy Cassidy
This book, is the BD version of the novel written by Cathy Cassidy, Sweet Honey (the fifth book in the series). BDs (or Bande Dessinée) are kind of like a longer, hardback comic book, Astérix and Tintin are examples that have been translated into English. I love them because they are the perfect length if you want to spend a few hours in the morning or evening reading. A good length to read in one sitting, but still giving you plenty to read - it takes me longer to read 48 pages of a BD then of a normal novel. Partly because of the artwork. In this series, like all the other BDs that I have read... the artwork is so exemplary and complex, with so many little details that you can't possibly find them all in one sitting. The English version of the first two books in the series is also coming out this year. 

Another book with exceptional artwork. When the illustrated version of the Philosophers Stone came out, I kind of thought that it was a once off, that we'd get this gorgeous version of book one, and then that would be that. Then book two came out last Autumn. And then in the last month the cover for book three came out. And so now I am excited for a book that's not coming out for another 6 ish months, and that even when it does come out, I will not be able to justify the cost (I want it in French, which adds another 10£ish to the cost). But who cares, because after this has been released I can then look forward to the day sometime in the future when I can have my own copy - but that obviously can't happen until it's been released. 

Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings 
When this book was originally released last summer, I had it on pre-order. I love Sasha Alsberg's Youtube channel, and I got so excited when it was announced I ordered it (literally) right there right then. And then went to Seattle, got distracted, don't actually know when it was delivered to my Kindle... and you know, wasn't watching Youtube etc etc when it came out. And THEN.... well then it was no 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list, but after that it was announced that the book (which was really a novella) was being republished, this time not just as an ebook but with a actual physical copy as well. And not just the novella- this is going to be a full book length wonder. So I decided to wait until this summer when I will read (hopefully the print version) of Zenith in its longer form. (and then maybe go back and read the other version - I think its still on my Kindle although you can't buy it now - but my Kindle is currently hungry so I cant check). 

[Enter a five minute break from writing where I get distracted by the Coco trailer]

Book of Dust by Philip Pullman 
I can't lie, I haven't read His Dark Materials. But I promise, that situation will be remedied before (hopefully long before) The Book of Dust comes out. How can I be so excited about this when I have somehow managed to go my whole life with out reading about the adventures of Lyra? Well.... Its not like I haven't wanted to read them... It just hasn't happened. Plus, everyone is raving so much about them... I kind of feel compelled to join in. Even if I haven't read them yet. (Emphasis on the yet). Plus, theres a TV version by BBC coming sometime (Autumn? Winter?). 

Once and For All  by Sarah Dessen
I read somewhere that summer isn't summer without a new Sarah Dessen book. Not quite true, summer isn't summer without first reading a new Sarah Dessen book, then getting so obsessed you go and read all the other Sarah Dessen books at your disposal. Extra 'its summer' points if you have nothing else to do except read and so finish in super quick time, leaving you not knowing what to do afterwards. Okay, maybe you need to eat. Or drink - make a peanut butter banana smoothie and you're set. Sleeping - probably required but optional. 

Save the Date by Morgan Matson
They say that if you do something two years on the run its a tradition (or thats what it says on the side of the Tofurkey box anyway). So.... first was 'Amy & Roger's Epic Detour' (I picked it up in W H Smith) Then came Second Chance Summer (found that in the Library). So.... this one will be number 5 and I think it's safe to say that we've got ourselves a tradition. 

Apart from the story, which is awesome, the main things I remember about the previous two books is how much a like Lara Jean and Kitty (her little sister), the fact that the story with her next door neighbour ended unsatisfactorily, the fact Lara Jean likes banana in her Cheerios, there is such thing as Frozen Custard, Orange Creamsicle cookies and Fruitcake cookies. (What - I like food). I really loved the other two books (and have read them several times each) so really cant wait till this next one comes out. 

Woman in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky
The preview of this shows some of the pictures - and oh my goodness they're so amazing. They're really stylized but still really pretty. And although there's the 'obvious contenders' (Marie Curie etc... ) even in the preview there a few that I haven't heard of... so I'm quite looking forward to discovering them. 

Nichijou Vol 8 by Keiichi Arawi
I watched the begining of the Anime series on Youtube after a friend sent it to me, and I loved it- it's just the right combination of very funny and very bizarre (very, very, VERY bizarre). At the time, I dont think the Manga had been published in English yet. (I just checked and no, it hadn't) Now, I see that apparently it has, and not only that they're already on Vol 8. Who knew right? I'll start with Vol 1, and then I'll work my way up to Vol 8. Laughing at it because its funny, then because of how bizarre it is. 

I saw that someone who I follow on Goodreads had added this book to their 'Want to Read' list, and I clicked on it because it looked like one of the 'Lara Jean' books. Reading the description, it looks like it's gonna be fun, so I'll try and get it from the library over summer. 

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon 
Im not gonna lie. It is very possible that this book has only been added because the ice coffee on the cover looks super good. 

Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular by Mayim Bailik PhD
On the list of things that got me through  being ill, was (along with Starbursts and Gnocchi Bolognese) was The Big Bang Theory. Yes, some people (a lot of people) hate it. But ya know, it has its moments. But Mayim Bailik, who plays Amy, has a lot more moments. My friend chose her as one of her WOWwoman. She's posted a load of really cool videos on her Youtube, including my favorite 'Hurts to be Different', 'Too Emotional' 'Science and Religion' and 'Why I'm Vegan'. This book appears to be a kind of guide for girls growing up in the 21st century, where she uses a mix of science and personal experience to give girls (hopefully) all the information they need to grow up strong, smart and spactacular. So I am super excited for this book to come out because Im assuming that its gonna be awesome. 


Stars Above by Marissa Meyer 
This book is a book of short stories related to the Lunar Chronicles books. I am half way through  this series, and like with Dorothy Must Die, I am (in)patiently awaiting the library to deliver me with books 3 (and 4). Its proving really hard. The series takes well known fairytales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White) and then sets them in a future world where cyborgs mix (not so seemingly) with humans and there are a semi-human race living on the Moon, and then intertwines the stories to provide a spectacular result. My boyfriend asked me why, instead of creating new stories, authors take fairy tales and rewrite them. A) these books have a lot more to them then just the fairy tales and b) because they're awesome. 

This book is on the list purely because of the cover, or more accurately because of the t-shirt on the cover. (Okay, that and I really liked Bobbi in Agents of Shield....). Plus there needed to be at least one comic book on here. 

The Beauty and The Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanna Barbot de Villenueve
This. Book. Is. Beautiful. Enough said. Plus, timely with the release of the Disney live action version

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo 
Okay, so every good list needs a comic book. So why not add a novel with comic book characters into the mix? Especially if it features Wonder Woman. Generally, I prefer Marvel to DC, with Wonder Woman being the main exception. (That and DC Super Hero Girls). So I fully intend to read this when it comes out, possibly accompanied by the Wonder Woman theme from Batman vs Superman (cause no one can deny that music is a) awesome b) the best bit about the movie apart from Wonder Woman herself). Although this book isn't coming out right till the end of August and so by then I'll also have the Wonder Woman soundtrack as well. (argh I cant wait). 

Because You Love To Hate Me by Lots of People 
No, some parent was not mean enough to call there child 'Lots of People'. No - its a book of short stories by 13 bestselling YA authors who teamed up with 13 booktubers. And they worked together and the result is a book filled with 13 short stories from the point of the villains from well known works. Normally - I am not that fond of the villain, I know some people really love the villains and find the heros boring, but I'm just not one of them. But the nature of this book and the collaboration makes it really interesting.