After the decade that was 2020, I feel like we can use some good things to look forward to, right?
Other than, you know, an asteroid that wipes humanity off the Earth and saves us all … through annihilation? That seems a bit drastic. Looking forward to books is probably better for your health and overall more fun.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is most anticipated releases for the first half of 2021, and guys … there’s a lot of them.
Clearly, my resolution to not request all the books is going swimmingly already. I’ve made my ARC calendar for the first half of the year, and … yikes. I’m pretty sure I broke my 2021 resolutions midway through 2020, and that should be a record.
So forgive me if this list is long. Woe to your TBRs. I’m of the opinion that you all should have to suffer under the weight of your TBR as much as I do!
January Releases
The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry: A queer historical romance about a thief-turned-bodyguard who has to protect her new ward from assassins.
Hall of Smoke: Look. The protagonist is a warrior princess whose scream can turn people’s bones to dust. Need I say more? Also involves deceitful gods and demons, so all sorts of fun to be had.
We Could Be Heroes: A superhero story about forgotten identities, learning to find one’s self (literally and figuratively), and learning to trust—others and yourself.
Remote Control: The protagonist is the adopted daughter of the Angel of Death, able to bring death herself, who sets out searching for answers of who she was before.
Karma Moon: Ghost Hunter: Karma Moon accompanies her father on his ghost-hunting docuseries in the hopes to catch a ghostly haunting on film.
February Releases
Game Changer: After taking a hit on the football field, Ash finds himself slipping through different dimensions, and in the meantime, he’s faced with the threat that the world he knows might cease to exist.
Cathedral of Bones: In a world full of magic and monsters, Simon Frost dreams of becoming an Animist and sees his chance when a small hamlet sends a plea for help from a monster in their midst.
Blood Sworn: War has begun among the humans and the gods, and the gods are hiding secrets that could turn the tide of the battle if brought to light.
March Releases
The Conductors: Magic meets historical fiction with this book set in the time of the Underground Railroad, where a conductor by the name of Hetty Rhodes sets out to solve crimes in the Black community which the white police refuse to touch.
Firekeeper’s Daughter: A biracial tribal member learns what it means to be a strong Ojibwe woman while solving the crimes plaguing her community.
The Unbroken: I can’t even start to sum this one up, so here’s a snippet from Goodreads: “Through assassinations and massacres, in bedrooms and war rooms, Touraine and Luca will haggle over the price of a nation. But some things aren’t for sale.”
April Releases
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls: When her sister is taken by a powerful criatura, Cece is determined to become a bruja and team up with a criatura named Coyote in order to get her back.
The Forest of Stolen Girls: From the author of The Silence of Bones (which I totally missed reading last year, but everyone seemed to love) comes this YA historical fiction where a series of girls vanishes, and the protagonist’s father, who’s exploring the case, also goes missing, prompting the protagonist to dig into the village’s secrets in order to solve the mystery and find her father.
These Feathered Flames: A queer #ownvoices retelling of the Russian folklore “The Firebird,” where the queen dies and the two twin princesses not only need to deal with the future of the kingdom but also who killed their mother.
Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses: When Priya is diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, she joins a virtual support group for those with chronic illnesses and soon becomes friends with Brigid. Concerned for Brigid’s health when she’s unable to be reached online, Priya drives to her house and learns of her condition as a werewolf, which appears to be worsening.
May Releases
The Last Fallen Star: New Rick Riordan Presents with an adventure inspired by Korean folklore! Riley and her sister, Hattie, decide to share magic, because Riley is born without the magic her family is known for, but this violates the laws. Hattie’s life is hanging in the balance, and Riley sets out on a quest to save her sister.
Blade of Secrets: The Goodreads blurb sums this one up really nicely, so I’ll just leave this here for you: A teenage blacksmith with social anxiety accepts a commission from the wrong person and is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made.
Ophie’s Ghosts: The night Ophie loses her father, she begins seeing ghosts. Ophie takes a job in order to help support her family, but she soon realizes the manor and its occupants are haunted—by the past as well as ghosts.
The Edge of Strange Hollow: Poppy Sunshine has one rule: don’t enter the Grimwood, which is full of magical creatures. When her parents go missing on a expedition in the forest, though, Poppy is forced to break that rule in order to save them, though things in the Grimwood might not be what they seem.
The Immortal Game: The daughter of Poseiden sets out to prove her innocence when she’s convicted of a crime she didn’t commit. Lucky for her, she has a squad of people willing to help her in her quest for the truth.
June Releases
Hollow Chest: A middle grade story with fantasy overlaid onto history, where a boy’s brother returns from fighting in World War II, and the boy has to face the wolves that torment his brother in order to save him.
Fire with Fire: Two sisters have been raised to kill dragons before they kill you, but when one of them encounters a dragon face-to-face, she realizes things aren’t as black-and-white as they seem.
My Contrary Mary: Spin-off series from The Janies, except about … Mary! Specifically, this one is about Mary, Queen of Scotland, a mouse shapeshifter who must keep her secret under all circumstances or it might just cost her her head.
Questland: On a remote island, a tech genius has turned fantasy and gaming tropes into reality. When the designers and engineers mutiny, though, the tech genius has to resolve the situation quickly or the island’s well-being is at stake.
Broken Web: Sequel to Forest of Souls, and I won’t post a summary for this one because you need to just go on and read the first book if you haven’t already, please. If you have, you already know why this is exciting, so you don’t really need a summary, do you?
What are some upcoming releases you’re particularly looking forward to in 2021?
The Conductors was on my list, too!
My post.
Lydia recently posted…The 2021 Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge Topics
Amazing list, Sammie! Quite a few on here that I’ve never heard of but you’ve piqued my interest so I’m (obviously) likely going to be adding them to my 2021 TBR! Thanks for the contribution 😂 I’m so excited for The Forest of Stolen Girls and The Conductors as well! We Could Be Heroes also looks really good and I’ve been eager to try something by Chen so I’m defo hoping to check it out! Hope you enjoy all of these reads 😃
You’ve listed several I’m excited about – so many books! I’m starting We Could Be Heroes today and just finished Bloodsworn.
Oooh, did you like Bloodsworn?! I didn’t love the previous book I read by Mike Chen, but I didn’t hate it, either, and I’m a sucker for superhero stories. So I’m really excited to see how that ends up!
Ooh Hall of Smoke sounds interesting and that cover is so cool! The Unbroken sounds intriguing too. I haven’t heard of all of these so I’ll have to check them out now!
I hope you get a chance to! This week has been so had on my TBR, darn it. xD
Oh yay! A Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry is on my list, as well. I hadn’t seen it on anyone else’s yet!
I haven’t seen it on many, either, but I actually started reading it (just barely) and it’s been interesting so far. Hopefully more people will pick it up. :3
Thanks for introducing me to a lout of these! I’m really looking forward to The Conductors.
Lauren @ Always Me recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2021
I hope your poor TBR is faring better than mine after this week’s posts. xD
I can’t wait for the third Henderson Young Nemo title: The Serpent’s Nest, Schwab’s The Bridge of Souls, (also the third), and Kuzki’s Soul Lanterns.
Oooh, I haven’t read Young Captain Nemo yet, but I keep eyeing the books when I shelve, thinking I should check them out. xD Yeees, I forgot Bridge of Souls on my list, but I’m really looking forward to that one, too! I hadn’t heard of Soul Lanterns, but I definitely need to check that out now!
So many amazing sounding books coming! Besides a lot of these, I’m also excited for The Gilded Ones and Witches Steeped in Gold!
My post!
I forgot about those, but yeeees, I can’t wait to read Gilded Ones, especially! Though they both sound fantastic.
I’m really excited about The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry.
I actually just started reading it, and it’s been good so far. 😉 Hope you get a chance to read it soon!
Literally me with the Netgalley ARCS, I have six on my shelf already, all for the first half of the year!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2021/01/05/top-ten-tuesday-297/
Jo recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #297
Six, huh? *looks at NetGalley shelf* *coughs* Well, I refuse to tell you how many I have. xD But needless to say, I can commiserate with you, and also this week really didn’t help! LOL.
Karma Moon: Ghost Hunter looks exactly like the kind of book I’ve been wanting lately. Thanks for putting it on my radar!
I hope you enjoy it!
I hadn’t heard of the Ruthless Ladies Guide until today but it sounds so good. Adding it to my tbr immediately. I suspect this week’s topic is going to increase my tbr mountain exponentially
Ali @ A Bookish Life recently posted…Top 10 Tuesday: 2021 Most Anticipated Reads (Jan-Jun)
Yeeeah, my TBR for sure didn’t like this prompt. I, on the other hand, absolutely LOVED seeing all the shiny new books. xD Probably why my TBR hated it so much. *coughs*
I’ve just started The Ruthless Ladies’ Guide, and it’s been really good so far!
Game Changer definitely made my never-ending list. Fingers crossed that it lives up to the hype 🙂 I hope you get to all of these!!
Natalie recently posted…My Most Anticipated 2021 Releases (January – June)
I sure hope it does! I don’t think I’ve read a Shusterman book that I just outright didn’t like, though, so that seems like good news, at least. xD
The Conductors sounds like a must read.
Doesn’t it? I’ve been waiting foreverrrrr for that book already. Waiting is hard. xD
A drool-worthy list of books if ever there was one. I am really excited about The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry. I cant’ wait to read that one. Oh, and Broken Web! But I need to read the first book still. All of these sound really good actually. I hope you get a chance to read some, if not all!
Literary Feline recently posted…2020: Year in Review
I actually started The Ruthless Lady’s Guide already, and I’m not very far in it yet, but it’s been really good so far! You definitely need to read Forest of Souls! The series is soooo good. Hope you’re able to get to it this year!
Great list! I have Remote Control on mine, too, and I already pre-ordered We Could Be Heroes.
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday ~ Jan-Jun 2021 Anticipated Books
I’ve heard good things about We Could Be Heroes already! I need to pick it up soon. Hope you enjoy it. :3
Wow, this is an amazing list. So many great books on here and some that I need to check out. It is so so very hard to not request alll the books. I keep telling myself I’ll do better but …nope. hahah. I wish you good luck with that too! I also need to tell myself to stop pre-ordering books!!
My Top Ten
leslie recently posted…T.T.T. Most Anticipated for First Half of 2021!
Ugh, I feel that in my soul. That’s a mood for 2021. xD I said that since I would be so busy this year, I was definitely going to request fewer books! Ask me how that’s going so far … no, wait, don’t ask. I’d hate to have to lie to you. xD
I’m loving this list. There are so many great sounding books coming out in the next few months. I’m especially excited for The Conductors and The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry.
I’ve started The Ruthless Lady’s Guide, and it’s been really good so far! Definitely one I’m looking forward to reading more of.
SO many amazing sounding books here! Quite a few are on my own TBR- I am especially looking forward to Remote Control, The Conductors, and Firekeeper’s Daughter. I am currently reading (and enjoying!) Game Changer, and I liked We Could Be Heroes too! Hope you enjoy these!!
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted…2021 TBR Explosion!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed We Could Be Heroes! I’m hoping to pick that up soon, and I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait to read Game Changer, too! I’ve loved all the other Shusterman books I’ve read, so I’m sure I’ll love it!
I had no idea the Lady Janies were going to be writing about Marys! Fingers crossed that they’ll end up doing a Mary Shelley story, because she has always fascinated me.
YES! I just got The Lady Janies series at the end of last year, so I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I’m excited, since I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it. Oh my gosh, a Mary Shelley story would be FABULOUS. Welp, now that needs to happen or I’ll be super disappointed. xD
My Contrary Mary is such a good title! And a very surprising plot, haha. (And you’re right – 2020 really was a decade of its own!)
Yeah, it sounds really unique, doesn’t it? Grabbed my attention right away, because it’s something I haven’t really seen done yet.
Ahhh!! So many fab books coming out this year. Thanks for sharing all of these!!!
-Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…January 2021: Currently
I will be looking for Cece Rios and The Conductors. Thanks for sharing these! Great post.
I hope you enjoy them! I’ve been hearing good things about them both already.
I’m shocked by how many of these I don’t recognize!
Jenny recently posted…January TBR Announcement
This was 100% me looking at everyone else’s list. xD Like where have I been?! How did I miss so many?!
I’m SUPER excited for The Ruthless Lady’s Guide–it looks fun! So many great books on the horizon. Hope you get to enjoy some of these!
Lisa @ waytoofantasy recently posted…Blog Tour: Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews #BloodHeirKD #BookReview
I actually started it, and I’m still early on, but it’s been SO FUN already. I love this character’s voice for historical fiction. xD
Oh gosh. One of my goals for 2021 is to request less ARCs. This weeks TTT is NOT helping! 😉 I hope you enjoy these. <3
Dedra @ A Book Wanderer recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Book Releases | January – June
Yeah, you know, I just went ahead and crossed that goal out the minute I wrote it, because it is NOT working for me. xD I’m pretty sure I requested, like, 10 new books because of this TTT, so you are not alone in that lol.
Ophie’s Ghosts is one I feel I’ve been waiting for for awhile! I’ll have to check out Karma Moon and Cathedral of Bones. One MG releases in the first of 2021 I’m looking forward to is Sisters of the Neversea, a Peter Pan retelling by Cynthia Leitich Smith.
Jenna @ Falling Letters recently posted…The Appeal of Morrigan Crow and Nevermoor [MG Review]
I’m not sure how, but I didn’t even hear about Ophie’s Ghosts until recently! I was super excited. I guess that’s good for me, because it means I don’t have to wait as long. xD
Oooh, I hadn’t heard of that, but it sounds like something I definitely need to check out. Thanks for the recommendation!