Books On My Spring 2025 Possibility Pile

I’ll be honest: I had to read this prompt three times before it fully sunk in that it is now spring of the dumpster fire that is 2025. But I’m pretty sure it was only January, like, two days ago? And look at all these lovely books that I was definitely going to read at the beginning of this year. *gestures vaguely at the precarious stacks in the background* At this point, this possibility pile is feeling more like how can you possibly add more books to this pile?!

But you know me. I do so enjoy a challenge. It hasn’t toppled just yet, so surely I can add at least a few more titles. I’m sure it’s safe . . . ish. Now that I perform collection development for my library every month (seriously, who thought I was responsible enough for this sort of power?!), my possibility pile has been growing by leaps and bounds. It’s impressive, really. Not in a healthy, productive sense, of course, but nonetheless.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is books on my Spring 2025 Possibility Pile, where I’m going to focus on new and upcoming releases that I’m dying to put in my brain but can’t right now because what is free time?

I’m fairly convinced seeing all these books every day and not being able to take them all home is the lowest circle of Hell. But even if I maybe can’t read them all right away, I can add them to the Possibility Pile! Since I obviously have absolutely no inhibition whatsoever, it only makes sense that I foist these titles onto you. Because I am really good at making lists. Ehhh . . . maybe less good at completing them? So let me live vicariously through you! You read all the books and come tell me how wonderful they are. Starting with these new and upcoming releases . . .

(Also, technically this week’s Top Ten Tuesday is Books I Did Not Finish, but I missed the possibility pile post and I need a little more positivity in my life. So forgive me if I drool over these lovely books instead!)

Go Luck Yourself

It’s enemies to lovers in this sexy and delightful holiday mash up that pairs the spare prince of Christmas with the crown prince of St. Patrick’s Day!

Someone has been stealing Christmas’s joy, and there’s only one clue to the culprit—a single shamrock.

With Coal busy restructuring Christmas—and their dad now having a full midlife crisis in the Caribbean—Kris volunteers to investigate St. Patrick’s Day. His cover: an ambassador from Christmas to foster goodwill. What could go wrong?

Everything, it seems. Because Prince Lochlann Patrick, Crown Prince of St. Patrick’s Day, happens to be the mysterious student that Kris has been in a small war with at Cambridge. They attempt to play nice for the tabloids, but Kris can’t get through one conversation without wanting to smash Loch’s face in—he’s infuriating, stubborn, loud, obstinate, hot—

Wait—hot?

Kris might be in some trouble. Especially when it turns out that the mystery behind Christmas’s stolen magic isn’t as simple as an outright theft. But why would a Holiday that Christmas has never had contact with, one that’s always been the very basis of carefree, want to steal joy? Can a spare prince even hope to unravel all this, or will Kris lose something way more valuable than his Holiday’s resources—like his heart?

This is the sequel of The Nightmare Before Kissmas, which was so cheesy and adorable and I loved it. (I also basically skipped the spice because I’m not here for that, and I’ve been told by a coworker that that changes the experience, soooo . . . your mileage may vary  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). There were cinnamon roles and banter and so much sibling love, and it ended with a wrap for that book’s conflict with a nice setup for future books. Which leads me to this!

Where the first book deals with Christmas and Halloween, this one is Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day. Color me curious! I really enjoyed the characters from the first book, so I know I’ll enjoy visiting them again, but I also look forward to meeting some more holidays. The idea of this series is charming, and is like a grown-up, slightly spicy version of Rise of the Guardians.

River of Spirits

Senka lives between the realm of the Living and the realm of the Dead. As ward to Charon, the Ferryer of the Underworld, Senka assists in ferrying recently departed souls across the river and into their afterlife. Although Charon has taught her many Rules about life in the Underworld, there is much he avoids telling her. Though she doesn’t understand why the Rules are so important, she listens—she must heed them in order to become an official Ferryer, just like Charon.

Then a Living girl, Poppy, enters the Underworld to plead for help in finding the ghost of her brother. Poppy’s grief tugs at Senka’s heart—but helping Poppy goes against the very Rules Senka is so desperate to follow. When Poppy is yanked away by the river’s current, Senka leaps to save her, and she and Poppy are swept downriver, far from everything Senka has ever known.

Lost in the Underwild, Senka and Poppy encounter malevolent spirits of lore and eccentric ghosts—and not all are willing to let souls slip through their grasp. Senka knows the Living can’t stay in the realm of the Dead for long, and if Poppy isn’t returned home soon, she will risk becoming lost to the Underworld forever. But as Senka travels deeper into the Underwild, she discovers there are secrets her guardian has kept from her, including the mystery surrounding her own existence. As Poppy and Senka dodge angry demigods, hungry wraiths, and terrifying dragon chimera, Senka gets closer to learning the truth of her own past. Soon, Senka won’t just need to save Poppy’s life—she’ll also need to save her own.

My library has already received its copy of this book, and I can confirm that the cover is absolutely stunning. I mean, I know—I know—what popular advice says. Buuuut maybe just this once we can judge a book by its cover? Because I assure you, it would work out well for the book. The image on Goodreads just doesn’t do the cover justice!

Lovely covers aside, I’ve always been a fan of middle grade books that do unique things with mythology. While Greek mythology isn’t particularly unique at this point, I am very curious about the setting. I mean, it’s a staple when it comes to mythology for a reason! The story sounds like it’s going to tug at my heart strings, which I am here for, but also wrapped in an adventure. Which sounds like a nice balance. Also . . . dragon chimera. Where can I get one, and whom do I have to sacrifice?! Sign me up!

The Notorious Virtues

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

Incredible tests, impossible choices and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.

I’ve been waiting for this book for, like, three years, and it kept getting delayed and postponed. So here we are, with an official release date, and I will riot if it’s kicked down the road again! Okay, fine, I’m far too tired to riot. But I will . . . grumble discontentedly and scuff my shoe against the ground. So there!

I really enjoyed the Rebel of the Sands series that Alwyn Hamilton released years ago, so I’ve been looking forward to a new series from her. This feels like it has that same energy. It sounds like enemies-to-lovers (which I am always here for) with high stakes and lots of backstabbing (possibly literally?). I am trying not to hype this up too much, lest I be disappointed, but it’s hard considering how long I’ve been waiting for it!

The Wind Weaver

Fear of maegic plagues war-torn Anwyvn. Halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are killed on sight. But Rhya’s execution is interrupted by an unexpected savior—one far more terrifying than her would-be killers. The mysterious and mercenary Commander Scythe. In the clutches of this new enemy, Rhya finds herself fighting for her life in the barren reaches of the Northlands. Yet the farther she gets from home, the more she learns that nothing is as it seems—not her fearsome captor, not the blight that ravages her dying realm, not even herself.

For Rhya is no ordinary halfling. The strange birthmark on her chest and the wind she instinctively calls forth means she is a Remnant, one of four souls scattered across Anwyvn, fated to restore the balance of maegic…or die trying.

But mastering the power inside her is only the beginning. Desire for the Commander—a man she can never trust, a man with plans of his own—burns just as fiercely as the tempests beating against her rib cage for release. Rhya must choose: smother the flames…or let them consume her.

Here’s another one that you can definitely judge by its cover. Because just take a look at that beauty! It’s magnificent. Also, my love for the Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman has taught me that I should seek out characters named ‘Scythe’. I mean . . . not necessarily great advice if you’re aiming for longevity, because . . . yikes? But entertaining for sure! So sign me up to meet Commander Scythe, please!

Voice of the Ocean

As the youngest daughter of the Siren queen, Celeste’s life is tightly controlled. Desperate to prove her worth, she intends to join the Chorus – an elite group of siren warriors. With her final test on the horizon, Celeste must finally gain control over her temperamental Song. But when Celeste encounters a seemingly harmless ship, helmed by the intriguing Prince Raiden Sharp, her path veers towards forbidden waters.

Believing the handsome sailor to be innocent of any wrongdoing, Celeste defies Siren law to save Raiden’s life – despite knowing he is the son of a king who has murdered many of her kindred. The penalty for Celeste’s betrayal should be death, but the queen offers her an right her wrong by assassinating the prince. Determined to first discover the truth behind the prince’s clandestine mission, Celeste agrees to become human.

The human world is nothing like she expected, nor is the prince the charming and noble man she assumed him to be. But as Celeste finds her place aboard the ship, friendships – and attraction – begin to grow. Will Celeste be able to save herself? Or will her choices unravel a kingdom, devastating sirens and humans alike?

I read a lot of fantasy, but haven’t read a lot of books involving sirens. So that definitely caught my attention. They’re sort of like murder mermaids, which has always worked well for me in the past. This one seems like a Little Mermaid retelling, and I’ll be honest . . . it’s not my favorite story. But I’m really curious about the direction this retelling takes. I’m always willing to give something new a chance!

The Staircase in the Woods

Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what.

Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something a mysterious staircase to nowhere.

One friend walks up—and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.

Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods. . . .

The last two Chuck Wendig books I read were amazing for the first 30 – 50% and then flopped hard after that point. So maybe one day I’ll learn my lesson? But not today. Because I have been obsessed with the idea of staircases in the woods since I was little. It is by far my favorite urban legend. There’s just no way I could pass up a book based on that. Maybe the third time is the charm? That’s a saying, right?

My Friends

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an artist herself, knows otherwise and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. There’s Joar, who never backs down from a fight; quiet and bookish Ted who is mourning his father; Ali, the daughter of a man who never stays in one place for long; and finally, there’s the artist, a boy who hoards sleeping pills and shuns attention, but who possesses an extraordinary gift that might be his ticket to a better life. These four lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be put into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. As she struggles to decide what to do with this bequest, she embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn the story of how the painting came to be. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more she feels compelled to unleash her own artistic spirit, but happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this fresh testament to the transformative power of friendship and art.

Fredrik Backman is, hands down, one of my favorite authors, and I will forever read anything he writes. I absolutely loved his book Anxious People and have been considering doing a re-read of it. But then I saw that he had a new book coming out, which is even better! This sounds very different from some of Backman’s other books, but I have no doubt that it’ll be just as emotionally moving as his others, and I can’t wait to dive into it!

Anji Kills A King

She killed for a cause. Will she die for it too?

Anji works as a castle servant, cleaning laundry for a king she hates. So when a rare opportunity presents itself, she seizes the chance to cut his throat. Then she runs for her life. In her wake, the kingdom is thrown into disarray, while a bounty bigger than anyone could imagine lands on her head.

On her heels are the fabled mercenaries of the Menagerie, whose animal-shaped masks are magical relics rumored to give them superhuman powers. It’s the Hawk who finds Anji a surly, aging swordswoman who has her own reasons for keeping Anji alive and out of the hands of her fellow bounty hunters, if only long enough to collect the reward herself.

With the rest of the Menagerie on their trail, so begins an alliance as tenuous as it is temporary—and a race against death that will decide Anji’s fate, and may change the course of a kingdom.

I mean . . . listen. The book synopsis alone starts off pretty hardcore. Not that I’m judging anyone. That king sounds like he had it coming. But dang, this synopsis goes hard from the get-go. I love so much about this idea, though! Animal-shaped masks that grant magical powers? Yes, please! That sounds amazing. Plus, a bounty hunter with a secret motive of her own? This book sounds amazing.

All Superheroes Need PR

He’s a villain looking for a hero rebrand. She’s the marketing genius who can make it happen in this fantastical romantic comedy by the author of the Beasts of Gatamora series.

Over two decades ago, forty-eight young, gifted superheroes fell to Earth and were eventually marketed as opposing heroes and villains. Now, one exceptionally gruff bad guy is looking to hop teams. Hello, PR director Vanessa Theriot.

His real name is Roland Casteel a.k.a. the Pyro. First, swap that with the less incinerating the Wyvern. Next, put him in spandex to highlight that near-godlike body. Finally, give that hero in training a heroine—if Vanessa will play the part in a pretend romance guaranteed to make the city swoon. She’s game. As shy as Vanessa is, it’s her job to be Roland’s very own Lois Lane. Who knew that fake dating would change their worlds?

But falling head over heels for real makes for a dangerous shift in the narrative. A monstrous supervillain is bringing out Roland’s bad side again. This time, it’s to save a woman who, against all the odds, is becoming the human love of his superhero life.

This blurb is giving me all sorts of Assistant to the Villain vibes, and I am so here for it! I’m hoping this will be equally delightful, because I am in my villain romantasy era right now. What can I say? Villains deserve love, too. I also enjoy the fake dating trope more than I thought I would, but I find it delightful. I know a lot of my list is a little bit darker, so this feels like the bit of snarky humor that I’m inevitably going to need over the next few months!

The Whisperwood Legacy

Knives Out meets The Hazel Wood in this twisty contemporary fantasy about an amusement park shrouded in dark secrets—and the family desperate to inherit it at any cost.

Welcome to Whisperwood, a sprawling theme park nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, where thrilling rides and picture-perfect scenery bring cult-classic fairy tales to life. Or at least they did until eighteen months ago, when the family matriarch, Virginia Strauss, suddenly shut Whisperwood’s gates and the beloved park was left to wither away along with the family’s dwindling fortune.

 

For seventeen-year-old Frankie Strauss, Whisperwood’s closure has been a blessing in disguise. After seeing three generations of wealth’s corrupting influence, she is more than ready to shed the Strauss-family’s gilded handcuffs.

 

But when Virginia goes missing, Frankie realizes that her family might be guilty of something much worse than mere dysfunction. With the help of the mysterious and handsome groundskeeper, Jem, Frankie sifts through a web of near truths and outright lies, uncovering a reality where nothing is as it seems and fairy tales aren’t just real—they’re deadly.

Everything about this book sounds utterly delightful. First, comped to Knives Out? Yes, please. Also, I’m a sucker for books set in Appalachia. PLUS a creepy theme park? This one’s a no-brainer. I’m also a fan of the cover, which is whimsy meets creepy in a way that makes me so curious to pick it up. I very much enjoyed the dysfunctional family aspects of Knives Out, and it sounds like the Strauss family is going to be a trip all on their own.

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