As someone who is constantly unaware of the current date, barely manages to remember the month and only remembers the year because of my age (millennium baby perks!) I rarely keep an eye on current releases, mostly due to being content to peruse my backlist collection of books.
This is the first anticipated releases post I’ve done on the blog ever. Whilst I know my list is on the smaller side, this is pretty much all the books I’ve come across thus far that I know are releasing this year that I am excited for. I hope you’re able to find at least one book you like the sounds of!
Sing Me To Sleep By Gabi Burton
Expected Publication 1st January 2023
Book Synopsis
Saoirse Sorkova survives on lies. As a soldier-in-training at the most prestigious barracks in the kingdom, she lies about being a siren to avoid execution. At night, working as an assassin for a dangerous group of mercenaries, Saoirse lies about her true identity. And to her family, Saoirse tells the biggest lie of all: that she can control her siren powers and doesn’t struggle constantly against an impulse to kill.
As the top trainee in her class, Saoirse would be headed for a bright future if it weren’t for the need to keep her secrets out of the spotlight. But when a mysterious blackmailer threatens her sister, Saoirse takes a dangerous job that will help her investigate: she becomes personal bodyguard to the crown prince.
Saoirse should hate Prince Hayes. After all, his father is the one who enforces the kingdom’s brutal creature segregation laws. But when Hayes turns out to be kind, thoughtful, and charming, Saoirse finds herself increasingly drawn to him-especially when they’re forced to work together to stop a deadly killer who’s plaguing the city. There’s only one problem: Saoirse is that deadly killer.
Featuring an all Black and Brown cast, a forbidden romance, and a compulsively dark plot full of twists, this thrilling YA fantasy is perfect for fans of A Song Below Water and To Kill a Kingdom.
I discovered this pretty on the Goodreads list. Listen you had me at the gorgeousness of the cover and the fact we have sirens involved. Additionally our main character is also an assassin, there’s royalty and this book just sounds so good! I am excited for sirens, murder, forbidden romance and I hope I can read this book this year. Will do my best to.
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Zhao
Expected Publication 3rd January 2023
Book Synopsis
Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died.
The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life.
Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumored to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.
When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.
Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within—secrets they must hide from others, and secrets that they themselves have yet to discover. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.
Now the battle for the Last Kingdom begins.
Instagram’s explore page occasionally offers me book pretties once every blue moon. The US cover drew my eye because yes we love dragons. Then I saw the UK edition and now I am confusion because how is one supposed to pick just one edition to buy? I love dragons. I also love the different animals featured on the other edition. Inspired by the folklore and mythology of ancient China, I am intrigued to see the world building in this one. I am also very much here for dragons, did I mention already that it has dragons? I hope there’s a nice dragon pal in this book.
A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
Expected Publication 28th February 2023
Book Synopsis
Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory’s purpose.
To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be.
The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber. Now someone from her mother’s past is coming to upend her fate.
When the Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat.
Intricate and epic, Samantha Shannon sweeps readers back to the world of A Priory of the Orange Tree, showing us a course of events that shaped it for generations to come.
Ahem. Yes this is on the list despite me not having read Priory yet. In my defence, I do own Priory, she is thick and I am still a wee bit intimidated. Upon hearing though that there’d be a prequel and seeing the cover, I just knew I’d have to get it and read it. Who knows, maybe I’ll read the prequel first and Priory after?
Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
Expected Publication 11th April 2023
Book Synopsis
Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family.
Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance.
Much to several friends’ disappointment in me, I have yet to read Jade City. I promise, it is on my TBR and I will be getting to it. This book is on this list for 2 reasons. The first is that synopsis sounds cool and right up my alley. The second is, it’s Fonda Lee and several of my friends love her works, so you know I couldn’t not include it.
The Iron Vow by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey: Evenfall #3)
Expected Publication 9th May 2023
Book Synopsis
After leaping through the portal to Evenfall, Meghan and her companions find themselves in a terrifying new world where Nightmares roam and glamour is nearly nonexistent. As their magic wanes and the creatures of Evenfall rise against them, the race to find the Nightmare King grows ever more desperate. But what they discover–about Evenfall, about the Nightmare King, about themselves–will shake everything they thought they knew to the core.
The Nightmare King stirs. A world hangs in the balance. And as twilight descends upon all the realms of Faery, Meghan and her allies must make one more impossible choice.
Oh hi, hello I have yet to start the Evenfall series. I’ve been rereading the Iron Fey series instead of starting this series because I was craving the trio and the tropes of the 2010’s. That said, the final book in the trilogy is purple and I fully intend to read the trilogy this year. I love the world, I love the characters, need I say more?
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall
Expected Publication 10th October 2023
Book Synopsis
Again this popped up on my Instagram explore page. It was the cover. I am a magpie, it drew my eye because there’s moons on it ok. I’m sorry. I am somewhat predictable. However, I am intrigued by the synopsis and looking forward to reading it when it’s out.
Are we excited for any of the same books? Share the books you’re looking forward to releasing this year in the comments below! Thank you so much for reading 💜
Cuppa Clo 
a lot of these are on my tbr too!
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that synopsis for the last one is so short but so intriguing lol! i’m really not interested in ya fantasy as much anymore but sing me to sleep sounds so compelling wow, i might have to put it on my tbr… but i relate to being less into newer releases and more interested in backlist! it’s still nice to look at the year’s releases though ❤ i hope you enjoy these whenever you get around to them!
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right?! I was intrigued and I hope it turns out to be good when it’s released. I am very excited for Sing Me To Sleep, hope you like it if you do end up reading it May! Yep, I’ve always drifted more towards backlist titles than the new ones, mostly because it’s easier to get a copy of the backlist titles. Thank you so much!
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AHHH ALL OF THESE LOOK ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC I CAN’T WAIT TO READ THEM SOON!! I also haven’t read jade city yet, but untethered sky looks right up my alley so I can’t wait for it!! Love this list!
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Aaah Suhani 💜 hehe I hope you get round to Jade City at some point soon and yes untethered sky looks so good!
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CLO HII I LOVE THIS!!!!! Reading all the anticipated books post is one of my MOST FAVORITE parts of the new year, which might be slightly ironic considering how I never manage to read them until books in question enter the blacklist lists BUT YES.
ALSO AM IN LOVE WITH ALL THE DRAGON-NESS IN THIS POST?? PLEASE THEYRE THE BEST EVER OK. and therefore must join you on reading song of silver to prove my loyalty and such. I can’t wait to read jade city (THE AUTHORS NEW RELEASE SOUNDS AMAZING??) and also priory AND BASICALLY ALL OF THESE TOO!!!! (also. Let me know if you might want to buddy read any of them sometime 👀) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS LIST AND ADDING TO MY TBR AND GETTING ME EXCITED LIKE THAT
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Anoushka hi 💜 funnily enough I don’t read many of these posts, it really depends on the blogger as to whether I’ll read them because I don’t need my tbr to like plot my murder xD Ditto on getting round to the ‘new releases’ when they become backlist books though – that’s very me hehe.
I love dragons. I’m always here for good dragon books so I hope these books deliver. (I mean I’m up for buddy reads but I am notoriously bad at them sksksksk but I’d be down to buddy read something with you 💜)
Aaah no thank you for reading this post and leaving such a lovely comment 🥰
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Lmao I am also adding Song of Silver and A Day of Fallen Night on my TBR due to their covers… It’s gorgeous!
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Ah yes, the cover is so pretty! Hoping whenever I read it the story is just as good, that way I can buy a copy and have it on my shelves haha
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