Because I have a NetGalley account, I have the opportunity to read books before they are released. Access to NetGalley is available to librarians, educators, booksellers, and bloggers as a way to offer e-gallies to those who are in a position to purchase and recommend books to others. As a librarian and blogger I both buy books for my collection and talk to students about new books I think they will like. And write about what I have read and am reading here.
NetGalley offers many books, I cannot read everything I have access to. I try to prioritize by reading those I am thinking about purchasing for the collection followed by books in which I have a personal interest. Often new books fit both categories. The site asks members to give feedback by answering a few quick questions with the option to link to an online review or comment directly.
Books I am looking forward to in 2020:
- Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (October 6): (Ok, so I am three days late on this one, but I wanted to include it anyway because - Eugenides! If you know him from the other books you know why this matters. If not, I suggest starting with the first book. This new one is the 6th in The Thief series that started in 1996.
- Swamp Thing: Twin Branches by Maggie Stiefvater, illustrated by Morgan Beem (October 13): This is Stiefvater's first graphic novel. I am looking forward to how she handles a different format. Stiefvater is another author whose work I will always buy because I want to revisit and remember regularly.
- His Dark Materials: Serpentine by Philip Pullman (October 15- Yes, a Thursday.): In this novella, Pullman brings us the story of Lyra and her daemon Pan after the events of The Amber Spyglass during which their relationship was fundamentally changed. (No spoilers here.) I am excited for any return to Lyra's Oxford and it is nice to have this while waiting for the 3rd installment in the Book of Dust trilogy (for which there is currently no release date) AND it is illustrated by Tom Duxbury.
- Giant Days - Volume 14 by John Allison and Max Sarin (October 27): Graduation time is here so this will be the last volume of adventures for Esther, Daisy, and Susan (though she still has a few more years of medical school to go). This volume contains a post-graduation story. I wonder if they are experimenting to see if readers want more or if a graceful end is better.
- Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon (November 17): I am happy that Frankly in Love was well received so Yoon could publish another novel. This is also a rom-com in which Sunny tells a lie to impress a girl and hi-jinx ensue.
- How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (The Folk of the Air) by Holly Black (November 24): This is a prequel to The Cruel Prince, exploring Cardan's days as child in Elfhame. Black is one of my "always" authors. As in, I will always purchase her work because I want to keep her books on my shelf AND this one is illustrated by Covina Rai.
- Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline (November 24): I loved Ready Player One, therefore I am apprehensive about this one. I don't envy any author who publishes a book that is loved by so many since the pressure to produce an equally fantastic sequel is massive. I did not like his second book Armada, but am hopeful that a return to the world of Ready Player One is better.
Books I am looking forward to in 2021:
- Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert (March 9): This is the 3rd in trilogy about three sisters. I read the second book Take a Hint, Dani Brown before the first Get a Life, Chloe Brown. There were a few details from the first book in the second, but that did not prevent me from understanding and enjoying the story. I just went back and read the first and everything was cleared up.
- A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload by Cal Newport (March 2): Newport is the author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism along with a regular blog and now a podcast.
- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (May 25)- I started with Daisy Jones and the Six then found The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I may jump into more of her back list while waiting for May. I don't know too much about this one, but the blurb says it starts at a party thrown by four siblings.
- Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson (April 6)- Lawson's books are hilarious and healing and a reminder that so many are living with chronic illness or mental health concerns AND she just opened an independent bookstore the Nowhere Bookshop. Both Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy were fabulous to listen to as Lawson reads them. I am so looking forward to this one I will probably use an Audible credit for it.
- The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious) by Maureen Johnson (April 27): Stevie Bell solved the mystery of the century in the Truly Devious trilogy but now there is strange goings-ons at Camp Wonder Falls and the owner asks Stevie for help. I like the idea of an on-going YA mystery series since I read so many of these sorts of books.
- The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang (August 17): I like to read romance for the happy ending. The challenges in getting there are what make the reading interesting. Both The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test took the romance tropes and mixed them up with diverse characters and unexpected twists for two charming, unpredictable stories. I think this one will be just as satisfying.
What new books are you looking forward to?