Highly Anticipated Books | 2015 Edition

So here we have it, my list of highly anticipated books that release throughout the year...

1. Queen Of Shadows (Throne Of Glass Series Book #4) by Sarah J. Maas

The book cover has yet to be revealed...

UK - September 10th
US - September 1st

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . . 

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

2. A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas

UK - May 5th

US - May 5th

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. 

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

3. End Of Days ( Penryn And The End Of Days Book #3) by Susan Ee

UK - May 12th

US - May 12th

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all. 

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

4. 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

UK - April 21st

US - April 21st

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done. 

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.” 

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

5. Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices Book #1) by Cassandra Clare

The book cover has yet to be revealed...

UK - May 1st
US - May 1st

Los Angeles. It’s been five years since the events of the Mortal Instruments when Nephilim stood poised on the brink of oblivion and Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs lost her parents. After the blood and violence she witnessed as a child, Emma has dedicated her life to to discovering exactly what it was that killed her parents and getting her revenge. 

Raised in the Los Angeles Institute with the Blackthorn family, Emma is paired as a parabatai with her best friend, Julian Blackthorn. A series of murders in the city catch her attention — they seem to have the same characteristics as the deaths of her parents. Could the murderer be the same person? And her attention isn’t the only one caught: someone has been murdering Downworlders as well. The Fair Folk make a deal with the Institute: if the Blackthorns and Emma will investigate the killings, they’ll return Mark Blackthorn to his home. The catch: they have only two weeks to find the killers. Otherwise it’s open war between faeries and Nephilim. 

The Shadowhunters of the Institute must race against time to catch the killers, even as they begin to suspect the involvement of those closest to them. At the same time, Emma is falling in love with the one person in the world she’s absolutely forbidden by Shadowhunter Law to love. Set against the glittering backdrop of present-day Los Angeles, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica.

6. Winter (The Lunar Chronicles Book #4) by Marissa Meyer

The book cover has yet to be revealed...

UK - November 10th
US - November 10th

When Princess Winter was thirteen, the rumor around the Lunar court was that her glamour would soon be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. In a fit of jealousy, Levana disfigured Winter. Four years later, Winter has sworn off the use of her glamour altogether. Despite her scars, Winter’s natural beauty, her grace, and her gentleness are winning admiration from the Lunar people that no amount of mind-control could achieve. 

Winter despises her stepmother, but has never dreamed of standing up to her. That is, until she realizes that she may be the only one with the power to confront the queen.

7. Charmed (The Witch Hunter Book #2) by Michelle Krys

UK - May 26th

US - May 26th

Indie has spent the last few weeks frantically searching for Paige. She's tried every spell imaginable, but witchcraft has gotten her nowhere, and she's going crazy with guilt. Despite what her warlock boyfriend, Bishop, tells her, Indie knows it's her fault her best friend was kidnapped by the Priory. And with the Priory destroyed, finding Paige feels more hopeless than ever-especially when Indie discovers that Paige isn't even on Earth. She's trapped in Los Demonios, an alternate dimension of Los Angeles filled with evil paranormals. No one who has gone there has ever come out. 

Fueled by terror and loyalty, Indie is desperate to find a way into the underworld prison. She'll worry about getting out later. But facing the dark world's most dangerous witches and warlocks on her own means keeping her plan hush-hush-and forging alliances with some sketchy people, including a seriously sexy sorcerer.

That's the list so far, if anymore crop up I will be sure to add them! What are your most anticipated books of 2015?

#0by16 Project

Over the past year I have accumulated a vast amount of books which I've yet to read, this project named #0by16 is a way to shrink your TBR (to be read) pile to zero by the end of the year. I believe the project was created by BookTuber's Dylan Books, Maureen Keavy, Well Done Books, and Liz Loves Lit. So far my combined physical and electronic books total at 78, which isn't as bad compared to some TBR piles. I will also be restricting my book buying limit to books that I'm highly anticipating this year, which will be listed up in a follow up post. Fingers crossed that I'll actually be able to read the majority of these books, though either way it is a fun project to participate in.

Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo

So this book has been sitting on my iBooks shelf since last year, so when I decided which ebook I should read next I chose wisely. I had previously joined in to participate reading Shadow & Bone for one of my Goodreads book clubs. But I had unfortunately missed out on the chance to read it during the running time, as I had other books I was currently reading at that time and busy with uni. So as you can tell by now I chose Shadow & Bone as my next read and it did not disappoint!

Alina grew up in an orphanage with her only best friends Mal, now many years later they are serving in the army and are in the final preparations of crossing The Shadow Fold. It's an dark and deadly mass that covers the whole of what once was a great nation, Ravka, but is now succumbed by this dark matter which keeps hidden the monsters, who were once men and women alike, that live in the shadows waiting for any traveller to pass to make its deadly move. To cross the Shadow Fold the army uses powerful Grisha, people who are worshipped because of the gifts they acquire, such as healing, air, fire, and many other skilful assets. Alina and her fellow comrades become outnumbered by the many monsters that are attacking them in the dark, lives are taken, but some saved, with Alina's quick thinking she saves Mal with his appointment with death. It is only when Alina wakes up from what appears to be a blackout that she gets informed of her newfound power which she can hardly digest. With news of this great power emerging one of the greatest Grisha's, The Darkling, orders that she must be sent to the palace before people come looking for her, especially for all the wrong reasons. Alina must now decide what is best for her future, whether that includes her best friend Mal, or the mysterious and dazzling Darkling.

I must admit I thought I wasn't going to like this book at all, the beginning was very slow which made it hard to get into, but the more I read the more I enjoyed it and became hooked! It's also a genre that I've never really read before, so I'm glad I started the hi-fantasy taste with Shadow & Bone. This is definitely a genre I'm going to be returning to in the near future and I'm excited with carrying on with the rest of this series.

Alina couldn't bare to think that she had this great power bestowed upon her, the fact that she grew up in an orphanage meant that she had created this mindset that she was just an abandoned child that nobody wanted. But that is clearly untrue considering how many characters who thought she was more than that and meant everything to them, especially Mal. Alina definitely spent a lot of time worrying about her conflicting emotions, especially about her desires over the men in her life and deciding who meant the most to her. But other than the usual YA conflict Alina was a very strong heroine during Shadow & Bone, never giving up hope or on any of her missions for that matter, never looking back.

Mal was a very difficult character to read, as you're never really sure of his true intentions towards Alina, his best friend or someone who could become more than just friends. The one quality I liked about Mal is that he's a very loyal character, and selfless for that matter, he always puts everyone else before himself.

The Darkling on the other hand was very mischievous and you never really know where you stand with him or what his intentions are. I was actually shocked by some of the twists and turns towards the latter half of the book, I was seriously not expecting things to turn out like that.

If your interested in reading this book series, which sadly ends later this month with the third and final book, then definitely give it a go!

I gave this book a four out of five star rating because of the slow pace at the beginning and I also felt that something else was missing that could of really kicked it up a notch.

****

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You can get Shadow & Bone online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I brought my copy which I purchased for 99p from iBooks.

GOODREADS ANNOUNCEMENT

As many of you know I have a Goodreads account and I have recently joined a few book clubs on there, so I will be joining in these readathons. The Book Liberators are currently reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, unfortunately I haven't had the chance to pick it up yet, and the other group is YA Book Club. This one in particular we will be reading a new book at the beginning of every month decided by a group poll, next month we will start with Half Bad by Sally Green and in May we have decided on Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. 

So expect some reviews especially by these authors in the near future and also if you have the time come and join these clubs and express your opinions about anything you want, though obviously it has to be about books!

Are you already a member with a book group on Goodreads? If so leave the link below so I can check it out!