What's Next? Highly Anticipated Releases of 2016

Now that all the books with the 2015 release date have either been released or have been already published and devoured, we book lovers have already started looking toward the future. What will be available for all the bibliomaniacs to stock their libraries and cram their faces with in the coming years? As we all expected, the answer is too much yet too little. We can look forward to new releases from the most talked about authors and continuations of the book world's hottest series. John Green, anyone?

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare
First up, we have Cassandra Clare, the author that put the hot in Shadowhunter. Of course we all saw this coming. One thing's for sure, Clare ain't fading into the night (aka Washed-up-author-ville) without a hearty fight. With that suggestive (and might I say intriguing) end to her Mortal Instruments series, I would've been mad if this wasn't coming out. A devoted (not as much as some but still) follower of Jace and Clary, I wanted more than the ending Clare gave me. Excuse me if I get a bit book-righteous, but I feel I deserve this new beginning of the much-wanted new series, along with all other the Mortal Insturment-obsessed. Of course, Cassandra Clare will have to do the almost impossible: live up to all the hype. And nothing can kill a book or an author's career like hype. Release Date: March 8, 2016 by Margaret K. McElderry Book
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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.

P.S. Cassandra Clare is also said to be working on another one of the five series she hopes to write about the Shadowhunters. Chain of Thorns is the first novel in The Last Hours trilogy, said to take place in 1903 following the next generation after The Infernal Devices (Tessa Gray and Will Herondale). Unfortunately, we have even less information about it than the Dark Artifices. More waiting, I suppose.


Untitled by Stephanie Perkins
Up next in the brigade of books is Stephanie Perkins. Known for her witty, light books of the romance variety, Perkins has made a name for herself among the young and old of the young adult crowd, with the help of Lola, Isla, and Anna. Her humor and sweet, feel-good stories are iconic, which is why it's so surprising that her new novel is anything but. The changeover between chick-lit to horror-suspense is sure to be a rough one. Am I so wrong to doubt the Perkins' revolution? Release Date: 2016 by Dutton
+Summary

A YA horror novel in the vein of the movie Scream in which a cadre of high school students are being stalked and attacked by a mysterious killer with no obvious motive.
From the author's blog:
Yes, it's a contemporary. The killer is not a supernatural creature. I'm talking about ye old traditional knife-wielding maniac.
Yes, it will be bloody.
Yes, it will be sexy.
Yes, it will be scary.

Untitled (Untitled #1) by Marissa Meyer
Little is known about this series. The few bits of knowledge available are that it doesn't have a title, it's part of a trilogy that also has no title, and has something to with "super heroes and super villains". Cyborg super humans perhaps? Princesses with a thing against being in distress? All, I think, are likely possibilities. Release Date: Fall 2016 by Feiwel and Friends
+Summary

To be published Fall 2016. This will be the first installment of a trilogy about "super heroes and super villains".

Heartless by Marissa Meyer 
Along with her new series, Marissa Meyer is said to also be publishing another new novel called Heartless. If anyone has the control of the reins of the writing train, it seems to be Marissa Meyer, pounding out novels as she is. This book is rumored to be a prequel to Alice in Wonderland and will tell the tale of the notorious Queen of Hearts. Meyer apparently has a thing for fairy tale spin-offs. Who knew? Release Date: November 8, 2016 by Feiwel and Friends
+Summary

A prequel to “Alice in Wonderland,” HEARTLESS will tell the tale of how a marquis’ teenage daughter became the infamous Queen of Hearts. It will be a story of whimsy and madness, passion and tragedy, ravens and writing desks.

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan
I read the Lynburn Legacy. I fell in love with the first one, then fell into a spell of depression after reading the next books which I lovingly refer to as The Epic Fails. I'm not sure my love (or lack thereof) will keep me from reading this new one, however. I know Brennan can write well because the first book of the Lynburn Legacy is evidence. And besides, this is the first book, if not the only book, of a series, and if Brennan has a talent for anything, it's humor and first novels. Release Date: 2016 by HarperCollins
+Summary

Tell the Wind and Fire is about a young girl called Lucie who lives in a New York very different from the New York we know: the city is torn between two very different kinds of magic, and Lucie’s own family was torn apart years ago by that conflict. Lucie wears magic rings and carries a burden of guilt she can’t share with anyone.
The light in her life is her sweetheart boyfriend Ethan, but it turns out Ethan has a secret too: a soulless doppelganger created by dark magic, who has to conceal the face identical to Ethan’s with a hood fastened by a collar nobody but a Light magician with magical rings can take off… and who introduces himself to both of them by, for reasons nobody can understand, saving Ethan’s life…

Flamecaster (The Shattered Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima 
This book is one I am genuinely excited for. Chima is a goddess when it comes to really good fantasy novels. Don't even get me started on The Demon King series because I could go on for days about how much I love it. And finding out that Chima is writing about The Seven Realms a generation later? Did I die? Cause I'm pretty sure this is heaven. I've been waiting years for this to happen, and it's actually happening. I just...I'm just so happy. Release Date: April 19, 2016
+Summary

Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now Ash is closer than he’s ever been to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. As a healer, can Ash use his powers not to save a life but to take it?
Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told that the mysterious magemark on the back of her neck would make her a target. But when the King’s Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any birth-based curse. Though Jenna doesn’t know why she’s being hunted, she knows that she can’t get caught.
Eventually, Ash’s and Jenna’s paths will collide in Arden. Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the king, they will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.
Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series a generation later, this is a thrilling story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death.

Untitled by John Green
Basically, the only thing we know is John Green is writing a book. And that's enough to see fireworks in some people's eyes, including mine. Release Date: Unknown by Puffin
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There is none.

AND SINCE IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, HERE'S A HEALTHY DOSE OF 2017...

Untitled by Veronica Roth
It's widely known that Veronica Roth is sore spot amongst the YA community, you know, after the whole Tris episode. Some words were said, some rash actions taken, but hopefully all of that is behind us. We can move on, forget, and forgive. Okay... maybe, we'll just forget. ...Or just ignore anything happened, like they do in all unhealthy relationships. It'll be fine. Anyway, Veronica Roth is publishing a duology, and I believe the words "Star Wars" were used. Hopefully, this series won't cause an uproar and a near miss with an all-out rebellion. Crossing my fingers! Release Date: 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books
+Summary

In the untitled first novel of a highly anticipated duology in the vein of Star Wars, Veronica Roth explores—with poise and poignancy—the story of a boy who forms an unlikely alliance with an enemy. Both desperate to escape their oppressive lives, they help each other attain what they most desire: for one, redemption, and the other, revenge.
The first of Veronica Roth's upcoming young adult novels will publish in 2017, with the next novel to follow in 2018.

Lynburn Legacy #3: Unmade Review

Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unmade

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Series: Lynburn Legacy #3

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: September 23, 2014

Genre: Fantasy; Gothic; Romance; Fiction; Contemporary; Supernatural; Young Adult

Pages: 384

Format: Hardback

goodreads

A modern, magical twist on the Gothic romance and girl detective genres, the Lynburn Legacy books will appeal to fans of both Beautiful Creatures and the Mortal Instruments series.
 
Powerful love comes with a price. Who will be the sacrifice?

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.
 
As coauthor with Cassandra Clare of the bestselling Bane Chronicles, Sarah Rees Brennan has mastered the art of the page-turner. This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.

Brennan, I had such high hopes. You have an idea for a fantastic series, you write an amazing book, a slightly underwhelming sequel, and then this? Seriously, what happened?

Jared has, once again, gotten himself stuck in a mighty difficult hole to dig himself out of. Kami, fettered with magical ties to the wrong boy (why she doesn’t just cut them, I don’t know; there is literally no reason for them to continue to be stuck together, and yet, they still are) must for the ten thousandth time save Jared’s suicidal ass. Rob Lynburn, like the good little evil villain he is, terrorizes the town and is strangely placated and not at all hostile. He could do so much worse, and why he doesn’t, I am again unsure. As protocol calls for, Kami and all of her friends wade through obstacle after terrible obstacle. As this magical and gothic series comes to a close, a totally predictable battle scene leaves one force victorious and the other entirely destroyed in this not-really-epic conclusion of the Lynburn Legacy.

If you can’t already tell, I was entirely unimpressed with this disappointing and seemingly rushed conclusion to a series that was once one of my favorites. In the summary, the tagline reads “Powerful love comes with a price. Who will be the sacrifice?” I can answer that: the readers. The readers are to be sacrifices along with the quality of this gothic romance.

One of the best things in this series had utterly departed in this conclusion. The humor, the thing that made this whole series worth it, was gone. Vanished. Nowhere to be found. In the first book, there were times when I was literally rolling on the floor, hysterically laughing almost to the point of crying. Let’s just say the most this book got out of me was a twitch of the lips. No matter how much I wanted the opposite, there was nothing other than that small amount of amusement.

If I’m going to be completely honest here, I’m just going to say that reading this book was like walking through a forest trying to enjoy the scenery during the night while it is foggy to point of zero visibility. I didn’t retain anything. Sure, my eyes saw the words, and I heard the sentences in my head, but did I actually pay attention? No. No, I most definitely did not. This was mostly due to the fact that I was being bored to tears. The whole middle section of the book was just like blah blah blah blah.

Rusty was stepped on and marched over during the whole book, and the author did a horrible job of trying to convince me that Jared was worth more than sweet Rusty. Anyone with a mass of gray matter between their ears can see that Jared is the hoity-toity prince of a rich family who goes off to the woods to sulk and generally be a jerk, and Rusty, amazing Rusty, is selfless (not all the time, but much more than Jared) and willing to be there for his friends (something Jared is frequently not). Kami, also, didn’t grow at all in Unmade. Instead, it’s like she regressed into a pathetic, little, helpless girl who was incapable of being the badass I was expecting. That was probably the biggest disappointment of all.

This series was just too strong in the beginning for me to accept this mediocre and sub-par novel as an adequate ending to an otherwise wonderful series. I closed the cover to this book, and all I could do was wonder what exactly happened to have caused the cataclysmic destruction of this phenomenal series. I would ask for Brennan to try again, but it’s already just too late. I’ve said my goodbyes to this series, and I won’t be sad if I never see this second-rate finale again. 

Lynburn Legacy #2: Untold Review

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Untold

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Series: The Lynburn Legacy #2

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

Genre: Romance; Gothic; Fiction; Fantasy; Supernatural; Young Adult

Pages: 367

Format: Hardback
goodreads

On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

A darkly humorous take on Gothic romance, Sarah Rees Brennan's Lynburn Legacy weaves together the tale of a heroine desperate to protect those she loves, two boys hoping to be saved, and the magical forces that will shape their destiny. 

Just a piece of advice: when you finish a book that ends in a soul-crushing cliffhanger, do not–do not–read a sneak peak (specifically this sneak peak) posted by the author. It will destroy you. Just patiently wait for the whole book to be available for your reading pleasures. It will save you so much pain.

Kami Glass, aspiring reporter and journalist, will stop at nothing to uncover the secrets of the Lynburns. Now that she has discovered magic and unleashed a villain that has promised to plague the town, she must choose to fight or surrender. Kami must protect her family, the town, and the two boys that have so suddenly come into her life. A journalist’s work is never done. After breaking free of the bond that has held her and Jared together since childhood, Kami has the power to choose between the two beautiful Lynburn boys. Can Kami find love and save Sorry-in-the-Vale from magical destructive ruin?

Like almost every sequel ever written, I liked the first book more than the second. But I also loved the second. If I were to plot my love of these two books on the graph, there would be an almost unintelligible downward slope between Book 1 and Book 2. Just barely less than the first, but still less. The first book had an element of suspense that the sequel did not seem capable of grasping. Also, Jared’s attitude made me very angry.

Jared is a jerk. I mean really, how can he be that horrible and that perfect all at the same time? Brennan is mean that way, I guess. Ash is just plain boring. The only good guy in this book is good ol’ Rusty. Ahh, Rusty. Who can escape your impish whims and childish charms? You really are the best guy out of all of them.

Kami has to be one of the best female heroines I’ve read in a long time. Strong, capable, independent, brave, funny, smart. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be Kami Glass? Now, if she could just get a handle on her romantic situation, then she would be unstoppable. And her friend, Angela, is just as perfect as ever. She perfectly complements Kami’s character and personality. Her cynicism is such a vital part to the life of the story. Brennan forges her characters with incredible expertise. So much work goes into their personalities, everything else is almost left out. If the plot was worked on as much as the characters, it would bring this whole series to an extraordinary new level.

As to be expected, this book ended in a horrible, good-for-nothing cliff hanger. Brennan works real magic into her books, and I can’t wait for what she’ll do in the third and final installment of the Lynburn Legacy.

Unmade

Unspoken Review

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unspoken

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Series: The Lynburn Legacy

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 11, 2012

Genre: Supernatural; Fantasy; Romance; Gothic; Mystery Young Adult

Pages: 370

Format: Hardback

goodreads

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Get ready kids, for some serious bookage.

Kami Glass, an aspiring world-changing journalist, is like any other ordinary girl. Well, except for her witty sarcasm, slightly overenthusiastic go-get-‘em attitude, and her obsession with discovering the secrets of her little English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Oh, and the boy in her head that she’s never met and loves that keeps talking to her in her head.

Okay, so maybe she’s not so much like any other ordinary girl.

When the Lynburns (the mysterious legends of Sorry-in-the-Vale) come back to their home, two Lynburn sons, one of which has a special connection with Kami, make an appearance in her life. Something strange is happening over at the Lynburn mansion, and Kami intends to get the scoop. What starts as secret digging quickly turns into a murder mystery as peculiar killings happen all over their quiet (or quiet up until now) town. Gothic romance and supernatural mysteries collide in this original story about magic and dark secrets.

I actually read this book about a week ago, and I am just now writing the review. I have a good reason, too. If I had written it any time before now the review would probably look something like this: I can’t…I–I don’t…Why is–Why can they–How is–Ahhhhhh!

And no one wants to read that.

No joke. This book is amazing. You may have to excuse the rare peeks at the narcotic fangirl I am so desperately trying to conceal as I write this review. Hey, nobody’s perfect.

First off, the writing. The writing!! I want to be a writer, but when I read someone with this level of talent, I get depressed. Cause really? No one should be that awesome of a writer and be that funny. I cracked up out loud like twenty four hundred times throughout the entire novel. IT WAS SO FUNNY! (See: narcotic fangirl just make an appearance. Deep breathes, Blots) I would share with you some of the few incredible genius hysterical moments, but I don’t feel like writing a novel of a post today. Cause seriously that’s how long it would take.

Secondly, the characters were perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. One more time now, Perfect. I loved Kami. You know when you read a character that is so incredibly awesome that you say, the entire time you are reading the novel, “I wish I was like her/him”. This was the character that I couldn’t stop saying that about. She was so spunky and had so much gumption and was so hilarious. And Jared was the best bad boy. So deliciously dangerous and swooningly endearing. Yeah, Ash was okay, but he wasn’t a Jared. And I really liked Jared. I also really liked Angela, Kami's lazy and bristly best friend who didn't like people in the slightest. Yeah, she was a joy to read. 

To any of those reluctant readers out there who may be wondering: “What about the inevitable insta-love that is obviously going to happen?” My answer to you is, “There is none!” And there isn’t. No matter how much you want there to be, there isn’t. No matter how much you pray and pray for the romance to come quickly, it doesn’t. It’s excruciating. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

And the best, best, best, best, best part about all of this is that I don’t have to wait for the sequel! It’s already out! And the third book is following quickly behind. There is goodness in this world.

I loved this book so much, and the fangirl inside of me is ready to devour the sequel and any more that comes after that. That kind of makes the fangirl in me sound like a stomach, which I guess she kind of is, always ravishing for the best books mankind has to offer. That also sounds kind of gross…Anyway, please read this book, and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Untold