We’re midway through 2022 already, which means it’s time to take a moment, examine our surroundings, and reposition ourselves for where we want to be by the end of the year.
Still haven’t found that secret to immortality yet? No worries. You’ve got six more months. Just need to take a step back and decide where you’ve gone wrong here. Probably not enough human sacrifice. That’s usually what it is.
Haven’t read all the books yet? Have you tried inventing something that absorbs books straight into the brain without needing to read? No? Well, you better get on that, because you’ve only got six months left. No pressure.
But you know what else six more months of the year means? Six more months of incredible book releases that will inevitably assault your TBR, evolving it into even more of a sentient monster hellbent on taking over the world.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is most anticipated books releasing in the second half of 2022. So guard your TBRs, fellow bookwyrms, because you might just find a book or two slip in when you’re not paying attention.
You may have seen some of these books in recent posts, so I apologize if there’s a bit of an overlap. I’ve sort of lived under a rock for the past year and a half, so you know what? I don’t actually know a whole ton of upcoming books this year. I could argue that it’s for the best and saved my TBR from adding dozens of books that I have no time to read. But let’s be realistic . . . now that I’m back on the scene, I’ll likely rectify that before too long.
For now, though, these are the books that are coming out in the next six months that I’m looking forward to!
What Moves the Dead
Release Date: July 12
From the award-winning author of The Twisted Ones comes a gripping and atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.
What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.
Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.
Why I Want to Read:
- LOOK AT THAT COVER. *shudders* It creeps me out.
- (But I love it!)
- I will forever and always read T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon books.
- She’s a freaking amazing author, okay? Don’t judge me.
- I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that features a mycologist before? Cool!
- This sounds absolutely deliciously creepy and I need that this fall.
First Lines:
Perhaps it would not have been so unsettling if the mushrooms had not looked so much like flesh. The caps were clammy, swollen beige, puffed up against the dark-red gills. They grew out of the gaps in the stones of the tarn like tumors growing from diseased skin. I had a strong urge to step back from them, and an even stronger urge to poke them with a stick.
Heat Wave
Release Date: July 19
Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz are back in action bringing justice, protection, and disaster energy to the people of Nova City.
An unexpected hero returns to Nova City and crash lands into Nick’s home, upturning his life, his family, and his understanding of what it means to be a hero in the explosive finale of the thrilling and hilarious Extraordinaries trilogy by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune.
Why I Want to Read:
- Nicky is every bit the hot mess that I am.
- Who doesn’t love superheroes with ADHD?
- Who doesn’t love superheroes in general?
- T.J. Klune has an absolutely hilarious, heartwarming writing style.
- I need more of this squad in my life.
- The second book ended on a cliffie!!!! *internal screaming*
First Lines:
The Spear Cuts Through Water
Release Date: August 30
Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this new epic fantasy from the author of The Vanished Birds.
The people suffer under the centuries-long rule of the Moon Throne. The royal family—the despotic emperor and his monstrous sons, the Three Terrors—hold the countryside in their choking grip. They bleed the land and oppress the citizens with the frightful powers they inherited from the god locked under their palace.
But that god cannot be contained forever.
With the aid of Jun, a guard broken by his guilt-stricken past, and Keema, an outcast fighting for his future, the god escapes from her royal captivity and flees from her own children, the triplet Terrors who would drag her back to her unholy prison. And so it is that she embarks with her young companions on a five-day pilgrimage in search of freedom—and a way to end the Moon Throne forever. The journey ahead will be more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.
Both a sweeping adventure story and an intimate exploration of identity, legacy, and belonging, The Spear Cuts Through Water is an ambitious and profound saga that will transport and transform you—and is like nothing you’ve ever read before.
Why I Want to Read:
- I’m on an epic fantasy kick, and I just couldn’t resist this one.
- Anything that involves ancient gods is bound to get my attention.
- (Especially because of all the ways ancient gods can go wrong.)
- That cover is absolutely gorgeous.
- It makes me hope that this bookish world will be gorgeous, too.
Belladonna
Release Date: August 30
New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.
Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.
Why I Want to Read:
- Have you seen that beautiful, creepy cover?! Yaaaaas!
- Mysterious deaths and a potential poisoning sounds fun!
- (Erm . . . I mean, unraveling the mystery of it sounds fun, of course. Don’t do murder, guys.)
- Surly stable boy means banter and sarcasm, yes?!
- I am 100% in favor of forming an alliance with Death.
- But also extremely curious about what that’ll look like.
First Lines:
Just five sweet berries, eaten straight from the foliage. Or, as Signa Farrow preferred, mashed and steeped into a mug of tea.
Amari and the Great Game
Release Date: August 30
Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times and Indie bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy—perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.
After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze.
But between the fearsome new Head Minister’s strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton’s curse steadily worsening, Amari’s plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She’s got enough to worry about!
But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers’ successor and determine the future of magiciankind.
The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner’s magical rewards is Quinton’s last hope—so how can Amari refuse?
Why I Want to Read:
- Did you not see the Artemis Fowl x Men in Black comp in the blurb?!
- There’s obviously no way I could resist that.
- (Actually, all the comp titles there are magnificent.)
- The first book was absolutely *chef’s kiss* and I’m ready to be back in this world.
- I’m super curious as to what the Great Game is.
- (My bet’s on a game that’s not as great as it sounds.)
- I’m definitely here for the sibling bonds.
Unraveller
Release Date: September 2
Kellen and Nettle live in a world where anyone can create a life-destroying curse, but only one person has the power to unravel them. But not everyone is happy he can do so and, suddenly, he’s in a race to save both himself and all those who have been touched by magic…
Why I Want to Read:
- Absolutely loved Hardinge’s previous book Deeplight and want more from the author.
- Wait . . . anyone can create a life-destroying curse?!
- *Whispers* Where do I get a ride to this world?
- Sounds like an interesting, high-stakes plot
- The UK cover of this is *chef’s kiss*. I highly recommend checking it out.
Rust in the Root
Release Date: September 20
It is 1937, and Laura Ann Langston lives in an America divided—between those who work the mystical arts and those who do not. Ever since the Great Rust, a catastrophic event that blighted the arcane force called the Dynamism and threw America into disarray, the country has been rebuilding for a better future. And everyone knows the future is industry and technology—otherwise known as Mechomancy—not the traditional mystical arts.
Laura disagrees. A talented young mage from Pennsylvania, Laura hopped a portal to New York City on her seventeenth birthday with hopes of earning her mage’s license and becoming something more than a rootworker
But six months later, she’s got little to show for it other than an empty pocket and broken dreams. With nowhere else to turn, Laura applies for a job with the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps, a branch of the US government dedicated to repairing the Dynamism so that Mechomancy can thrive. There she meets the Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past, who reluctantly takes Laura on as an apprentice.
As they’re sent off on their first mission together into the heart of the country’s oldest and most mysterious Blight, they discover the work of mages not encountered since the darkest period in America’s past, when Black mages were killed for their power—work that could threaten Laura’s and the Skylark’s lives, and everything they’ve worked for.
Why I Want to Read:
- I’ve absolutely loved Justina Ireland’s other word (like Dread Nation)
- I’m a big fan of historical fantasy
- This sounds like a great adventure fantasy book
- How can you not love that fierce Black woman on the cover?!
Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria
Release Date: October 4
You are invited to the Alexandria Academy . . .
Twelve-year-old Shad Hadid has never quite fit in. The other kids at school don’t understand him, so he spends most of his time alone, cooking for his teta and daydreaming of opening his own Arabic bakery full of tasty treats. But when Shad is attacked by a shadowy monster, he learns his late baba was an alchemist with the ability to mix charms, elixirs, and mists–and he’s one too!
Then Shad receives an invitation to the mysterious Alexandria Academy, a fabled school for alchemists, where he hopes he’ll find safety and learn more about the ancient science. But when he arrives, no one at the school seems to know what alchemy is! As Shad digs deeper into the mystery, he discovers a sinister evil lurking in the shadows, and only he holds the key to stopping–or fulfilling–their plans.
With danger at every turn and the fate of the alchemy world on the line, can Shad save his friends and defeat this sinister foe?
Why I Want to Read:
- Arabic mythology!
- Protagonist who wants to be a baker (which is super cool!)
- Alchemy!
- I 100% want to attend the Alexandria Academy
- Sounds like a super fun fantasy adventure!
Bloodmarked
Release Date: November 8
The shadows have risen, and the line is law.
All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new:
A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.
But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.
Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.
When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.
If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.
Why I Want to Read:
- The way the first book ended. o.0 Like daaaaang.
- Diverse King Arthur retelling . . . with magic!
- I’m Team Selwyn!
- (What can I say? Unstable men with dark, emotional issues are sexy, I guess?)
- I want more of this dark, twisty plot!
First lines:
Twenty-four hours ago, I pulled Excalibur from its stone—and the ancient blade shattered me. Who I was, who I could be, who I’d never be again. My identity, split and spread like shards. I knew in that moment that some of those pieces would never come back. Like a weapon made of coalescing aether, the Briana Matthews who held Excalibur had been broken apart—and forged into something new.
City of Last Chances
Release Date: December 8
There has always been a darkness to Ilmar, but never more so than now. The city chafes under the heavy hand of the Palleseen occupation, the choke-hold of its criminal underworld, the boot of its factory owners, the weight of its wretched poor and the burden of its ancient curse.
What will be the spark that lights the conflagration?
Despite the city’s refugees, wanderers, murderers, madmen, fanatics and thieves, the catalyst, as always, will be the Anchorwood – that dark grove of trees, that primeval remnant, that portal, when the moon is full, to strange and distant shores.
Ilmar, some say, is the worst place in the world and the gateway to a thousand worse places.
Ilmar,
City of Long Shadows.
City of Bad Decisions.
City of Last Chances.
Why I Want to Read:
- Um . . . helloooo . . . did you not just read that blurb?! *flails*
- Ilmar sounds like a city I would absolutely love to visit.
And probably die in within 30 seconds of doing so.- The characters in this book sound delightful
- Pretty sure this will be a squad I could get along with
The second half of the year is going to be epic! I’m halfway through What Moves The Dead and loving it so far😁
Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy recently posted…Most Anticipated Books of 2022 – Third Quarter
I sure hope so. xD I’m so ready for some epicness. I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying it! I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
I love your sense of humour!
And I didn’t know TJ Klune had a new book coming out this month. Cool.
Lydia recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2022
Thank you! I feel like TJ Klune almost always has a new book coming out at some point. xD Which is good. But also very hard to keep up with when you’re trying to read all the TJ Klune books LOL. I still haven’t finished his backlist, even, and he’s releasing, like, four books a year at this point!
So many good books! I haven’t heard of City of Last Chances but love the sound of it. Thanks for visiting my blog.
I definitely cheated on that one and got it from a blog post last week. xD Blog hopping is fun, but man does my TBR not enjoy it as much as I do haha. Always adding new books to it.
Great list, Sammie! I’m so excited for the next Amari book as well 😍 I hope you enjoy all of these books—or at least the ones that you get to! Hehe
Dini @ dinipandareads recently posted…#TopTenTuesday: Most Anticipated Releases: June – December 2022
I feel like you’re throwing a little bit of shade there, Dini. What do you mean I can’t read all the books?! *flails* But okay, also, very realistic. Especially since even though I *want* to read these books, I first need to get my hands on them, which is sometimes easier said than done. xD
I have no idea what’s going on with that rabbit on What Moves the Dead but it sounds super eerie. I really want to read Bloodmarked (can’t believe I forgot to add it to my list).
Ellie recently posted…Top Ten: Most Anticipated
I hope you enjoy all of these when/if you get a chance to read them! I imagine this last half of the year will go just as fast as the beginning, time slow down! Have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Cindy Davis recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday-Anticipated Book Releases 2022
Belladonna is another release that’s on my tbr list!
Violet recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2022
I’ve seen it on a lot of lists today, too! Looks like a lot of people are anticipating it. Can’t say I blame them. 😉
ooh some interesting gothicy titles coming up! and i hadn’t heard of The Spear Cuts Through Water before but it sounds so interesting 👀
arty @ escapistlit recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the Second Half of 2022
Yeeeeah . . . can you maybe tell that I’m really in a creepy, horror vibe lately? Just getting ready for fall. 😉
Great Post and great books.I like the sound of Unraveller and may have to add that to my list
Thanks! Hope you get a chance to read it. 😀
This is the 2nd post where Adrian Tchaikovsky’s upcoming fantasy book is mentioned. And, I did NOT know it was part of a series!
AquaVenatus recently posted…The Midpoint of 2022: Favorite Speculative Fiction Books So Far & Other Reads
To be fair, I first heard about it from Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy, which is where I normally hear about new SFF releases. xD
I don’t think it is a part of a series? If you’re looking at the last part of the blurb, I did that, too, and was very confused. They’re not previous titles, though, just other descriptors of Ilmar. When I first read it, I was looking all over for the other books, but they’re not a thing. xD
What Moves the Dead and Belladonna are also on my radar and both look and sound amazing!!
OMG, I’m excited for Bloodmarked too, and completely forgot to add it to my post this week! And the Amari sequel sounds awesome also, though I have been a slacker and still haven’t read book one…
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday ~ Most Anticipated Books of 2022 (part 2)
A great list – and I like the way that you have set out this post! So many great covers too!
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/07/05/top-ten-tuesday-most-anticipated-books-releasing-in-the-second-half-of-2022/
Thanks!
So many great looking books are coming out soon! Happy reading!
I’ve seen Rust in the Root and The City of Last Chances on a couple of lists now, and they both sound so intriguing!
Lark @ The Bookwyrm’s Hoard recently posted…10 Most Anticipated Books Releasing July-December 2022
A lot of people seem to be looking forward to those specifically!
I love TJ Klune but I still need to start the Extraordinaries series. Though with the latest book releasing, a binge read sounds pretty good 🙂 Hope you’ll enjoy all of these!
Yeees, you definitely need to read the series! The release of the third book is really perfect timing.
Belladonna made my list too, but I’ll have to add What Moves the Dead, I love T Kingfisher’s books!
I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback about it so far!
Such a great list! I didn’t know a lot of these were coming out in the next six months. I definitely need to put them on my TBR. Thanks for sharing and thanks for stopping by my blog.
Jenni Elyse recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #25
Your poor TBR. xD That’s how I feel every time I read book lists with upcoming releases haha.
I just started What Moves the Dead today! Only two chapters in, but I like it so far (and I’m glad I paused to read The Fall of the House of Usher first). I can’t wait for Heat Wave. I love that series so much!!
Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the Second Half of 2022
I’ve seen good things about What Moves the Dead. Glad you’re enjoying it so far. 🙂
Some of these look like great autumn reads, so atmospheric and moody! Belladonna in particular looks super interesting 🙂
What a list! I’m incredibly excited for Amari and the Great Game and Bloodmarked, I loved both first books so much. Also, absolutely adding The City of Last Chances to my TBR. It sounds right up my street 😀
I found out about The City of Last Chances just a couple weeks ago from a different blog, too. xD Blog hopping is dangerous to TBRs.
I hope you enjoy all of these!
Jo recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #375
I have got to get to Legendborn before the sequel comes out. I am very intrigued by What Moves the Dead. Hope all of these end up being great reads for you!
Pffft, wait for the sequel to release, and then read Legendborn and its sequel back to back. 😉 Best way to do it lol.
The Spear That Cuts Through Water sounds really good and that cover art on Belladonna is absolutely stunning!
Right? I definitely only learned about Belladonna because I was scrolling and saw that cover and just HAD to stop. xD
I forgot about Belladonna! I hope you enjoy all of these!!
My Top Ten!
Leslie @ Books Are The New Black recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases!
Nice list, Sammie! There are so many great books coming out soon!
Wendy recently posted…Book Review and Book Tour: A Dress of Violet Taffeta by Tessa Arlen
So many great books, so little time! xD
I am so eager to get my hands on Amari and the Great Game and Bloodmarked. The first books of both series were amazing, and I can’t wait for the adventure to continue.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create! recently posted…10 Most Anticipated Canadian Releases in Late 2022
Saaame! I managed to get an eARC for Amari last week, and I’m so excited!
All of these sound so good! I didn’t put it on my list this week but I really want to read What Moves The Dead.
I’ve heard that it’s really good! Hope we both get to read it. 😀
Hi Sammie, you have some great books on your list! Wanting to read the new TJ Klune! Wanting to read quite of few of these sequels and will definitely do so after reading the first books in the series!
Sara recently posted…Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the Second Half of 2022
I highly recommend TJ Klune. 😀 Love his work. Hope you enjoy these when you get to read them!
A book-absorbed-into-the-brain invention would be super handy. Can you get on that? Science is not my cup of tea or, believe me, I would be trying to invent that right now! LOL.
I hope you enjoy all your books, Sammie!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I’m working on it! But I can only do so much. I didn’t pass my mad scientist exam, you know. D:
Belladona’s book cover is so stunning! I’m not big on fantasy books but your list is tempting me to read more in this genre. 🙂
Abigail recently posted…Incoming TBR
I hope you give it another chance! What I love so much about fantasy is that there’s such a breadth of types of books, from low fantasy/magical realism to epic quest fantasies! It’s got a little bit of everything.
Those are all awesome covers that make me want to read them! I hope you enjoy each one!
Oooh, I forgot about Bloodmarked coming out. It just seems so long ago that I read Legendborn that it’s hard to believe the sequel is finally here! XD
I also really should read the first Amari book because that series looks so cool! 🙂
It does seem like it’s been a while since reading Legendborn, though I’m pretty sure the last two years were really a decade. xD
I can’t recommend Amari enough! You should definitely give it a try.
Some nice choices! I’m curious about the first one because I love Edgar Allan Poe.
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Top 10 Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the Second Half of 2022
Oh that cover of city of last chances *adds instantly*
RIGHT?! In case you couldn’t tell, that’s all Tammy’s fault. She always gets me with her upcoming book Tuesday posts and I just can’t help it. xD