Friday Fun Post: Anticipated Books of 2019

Hello everyone! I hope your year is off to a good start. I can’t believe it’s 2019 already, but that means a lot of exciting books are being released. Some of these were published in January, but overall here's my list of some of my most anticipated books of 2019!

1. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (Release date: January 29, 2019): First of all, Leigh Bardugo could probably write anything and I would read it. Her Six of Crows duology is one of my favorite series, and her writing style is so rich and full of complex character development and world-building that I know King of Scars is going to be amazing. Furthermore, it follows one of my favorite characters from her Grisha trilogy (Nikolai Lantsov) and includes a point-of-view of one of the characters from Six of Crows? There's no more I could ask for in a book. And don’t worry- you don’t have to have read her other series to read this one. If you're looking for an immersive world, check out King of Scars in the Monroe County Library System, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon. 
2. The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh (Anticipated release date: October 8, 2019): I loved Renée Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn series (the beautiful imagery!) so while the plot of this book is completely different- 1872 New Orleans with vampires, a glitzy underworld, and a potential serial killer- I know it’s in good hands. I find the late 19th century (or Gilded Age, as my U.S. History class has taught me) fascinating- how the world was rapidly industrializing, becoming something new, yet beneath the glamorous exterior: slums, dire poverty, and darkness. A lot about this time period is romanticized in literature and pop culture, but some of it isn’t at the same time. I’m curious and excited to read the author’s take on it, especially with a city I’m unfamiliar with and a murder mystery afoot (and the undead of course). You can preorder this book at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. 
3. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (Release date: January 15, 2019): This book is also set in the late 19th century (are we sensing a theme here?)- the city is Paris, and an all-powerful society sends a group led by treasure-hunter Séverin Montagnet-Alarie to find an ancient artifact. The synopsis is giving me a Six-of-Crows vibe with the dark city interior and band of misfits with a mission, while the setting is giving me early art nouveau movement and invention expositions (doing some research, this time period in Europe is known as the Belle Époque- the Beautiful Era). I love reading about heists and mysterious orders and ancient secrets, and knowing how passionate the author was about the story makes me want to read it even more. Find The Gilded Wolves in the Monroe County Library System, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. 
4. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Anticipated Release Date: November 5, 2019): While I have not read anything by this author before, I’ve heard glowing praise about her first novel, The Night Circus. The synopsis for this one just pulled me in- it has an almost dreamlike quality- quietly whimsical and enchanting. I think we can all relate to wanting to find a world not like our own (through a library, no less!) and the promise of “twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly soaked shores” is right up my alley. Seriously though, this description makes me want to find the nearest ancient library and wander through the shelves. You can preorder this book at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. 
5. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (Anticipated Release Date: November 19, 2019): As background, I loved Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices series (which, you guessed it, takes place in the late 19th century). I loved the humor, the world-building, the long twisting family trees… and of course, the characters. Chain of Gold takes place not too long after (early 20th century), so I’m incredibly excited to see some of my favorite characters back in action, along with the new protagonists. It’ll be interesting to see the Blackthorn-Carstairs-Herondale dynamic, since the same families interact in another series (The Dark Artifices) generations later. I actually wasn’t aware this series was coming out until recently, but now I can’t wait! Check it out at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.  

So there’s five of my most anticipated books of 2019! These five barely scratch the surface of everything that is going to be published this year, but I hope you’ve found something new to be excited for!

-Amy