Jen's Anticipated Reads of 2017

So this is a post that should’ve happened way back at the start of the year, but it just never did. It’s now half way through the year and I still want to make a post about my anticipated books so here we go. Quite a lot of these books have now been released, but I’m just going to leave them in my list anyway because I was so excited about these books and that hasn’t changed even now.

I actually think that my list is pretty limited this year. As I am really trying to reign in my wild book buying ways in 2017, I tried to keep this list only to books that I’m absolutely dying to get my hands on. That means that the vast majority of the books in this list are final books in either a duology or a trilogy! Some of the books that I most want to read have release dates that are still pretty far away, but at least the wait has been lessened by six months now. *Sigh*

Also, I posted a progress update on my most anticipated releases of 2016 (way back at the start of the year) and I was surprised to discover that out of a rather long list, I had only managed to read two of the books. It was quite an eye opener for me and I really want to try and read more of the new releases that I’m super keen for in 2017. Limiting my list as I mentioned above should definitely help with that!

Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

The synopsis sounds great and it’s a standalone fantasy. These are so rare to come across and I wish there were more standalone fantasies because I would love to be able to just dive into a fantasy book without having to commit to a long series. Also, because I hate starting a series when not all the books have been released, I always seem to have to wait forever for that series to be completed! And I am by no means a patient person.

 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

This is a realistic contemporary that was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. It is a topic that is so relevant and extremely important in today’s world and I immediately wanted to read it as soon as I heard about it. (Since this post is going up much, much later than initially intended, this book is out now but I am still so looking forward to reading it.) 

   

 

Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han

I have to be honest that when I first heard about this book, I was not happy at all. I thought that these books worked well as a duology (and so did the author originally!). I was upset and angry and I was actually dreading this book because I hated the thought of my ship being messed with! Not gonna lie, I searched for some early reviews and actually went looking for spoilers about the love triangle because if it didn’t end how it was supposed to, then I would’ve just pretended that this book never existed. Thankfully, it all worked out how it was supposed to and I could finally let myself be excited for some Jenny Han greatness because it had been a long time indeed since she last came out with a new book.

Wreck by Fleur Ferris

I actually don’t even know what this book is about but it’s on this list because of the author. Fleur Ferris is an Australian YA author who I think should receive a lot more recognition than she does. Her books are very quick reads and the writing style completely pulls me into the story. Her first two books, Risk and Black were phenomenal and I can’t wait to get my hands on Wreck.

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

I read the Anna, Lola and Isla companion series a couple of years ago now and I absolutely loved Anna and the French Kiss and Isla and the Happily Ever After. However, I hated Lola and the Boy Next Door. Despite my very mixed feelings on that series, I loved the writing style and I’ve been wanting a new book from her for a while now. Horror generally isn’t really my thing, but what I do love about this book is that Stephanie herself has said that it will be a realistic novel with human characters and nothing paranormal. That makes me so excited because if there’s one thing that I hate, it’s when a book is marketed as realistic fiction and some paranormal aspects creep into the story.

 

 

Wayfarer (Passenger #2) by Alexandra Bracken

I received Passenger in a YA Chronicles box a year ago but I held off on reading it until the sequel had been released. That time has finally come and I want to read this duology soon because it just sounds amazing. (As this post is going up much later than expected, this book has already come out and it looks amazing sitting on my shelf next to Passenger. Now to actually getting around to reading it…)

 

Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight was one of my most anticipated releases of 2016 and while I somehow still have not gotten around to reading it yet, I’m super excited for the sequel! What I’m not so excited for however, is the long wait for The Queen of Air and Darkness, the third and final book in this trilogy to come out.

 

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

I know that more books have been announced in this series, but apparently this is the conclusion to this trilogy and the remaining books are a spin-off. I’m super glad that is the case because I have been dying to start this series since ACOTAR came out and I just couldn’t wait any longer! I have actually read ACOTAR and ACOMAF now and I hate to say it, but those did not live up to all the hype for me. That dropped the excitement level of ACOWAR for me but I still want to read it and finish up the trilogy.  

 

Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms #6) by Morgan Rhodes

Again, I broke my rules with this series and actually read the first two books. I loved them so much and just those two books were enough to earn this series a place in my favourites. I wanted to continue on but unfortunately I was forced to stop when I couldn’t get my hands on a copy of the third book. I moved onto other books and forced myself to wait for the final book to be published so I could marathon the series when it was finally complete. That was way back when only the first three books were out so it has been (and continues to be) a very, very long wait indeed.  

*Disappointing news*

The untitled sixth (now seventh) Throne of Glass book by Sarah J. Maas was originally on this list (when I wrote it way back in January), but it has since been announced that this book has been pushed back to 2018 and the novella about Chaol has been turned into a full length book instead. I was so sad when I heard that this was happening because Chaol would have to be one of my least favourite characters.

The Throne of Glass series is absolutely phenomenal and the insane hype about it actually made me break my rule of not starting a series unless it has been completed. However, the books just kept getting better with each one and it became one of my all time favourite series. But the ending of Empire of Storms absolutely killed me and now thanks to this Chaol book the excruciating wait for the final book has been stretched out even further. Not happy!

*More disappointing news*

Obsidio, the third (and I think final) book in the Illuminae Files trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff was originally on this list, but I have since discovered that the release date has been pushed back until 2018. This is yet another series where there was crazy hype surrounding it and I just couldn’t stop myself. I read Illuminae when it first came out and it was a long, painful wait for Gemina. I read Gemina when it was released and began yet another long and painful wait for the third and final book. I loved everything about these books and this is also another favourite series of mine, but the waiting in between books is the worst! Especially now that the wait has been dragged out even longer.