TOP TEN MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2019!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly Meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week’s meme is: Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2019!

I feel like there are so many awesome sounding books coming out this year; more so than 2018 IMO. It was hard to pick and choose which books I am looking forward to the most, but I think I did it. Take a look at let me know what you think!

P.S. Clicking the book covers will take you to Goodreads.

                 

 The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden – Releases January 8, 2019.

Yeah, I know this book releases in just a few hours, but I am still looking forward to it. I didn’t like the second book as much as I did the first one, but I am excited to see where Vasya ends up on her journey.

As Long as We Both Shall Live by JoAnn Chaney – Releases January 15, 2019.

This book piqued my interest as soon as I saw it. The cover looks great and this sounds really suspenseful.

We Shouldn’t by Vi Keeland – Releases January 21, 2019.

I’m a sucker for a cute romance and I love Vi Keeland. This one sounds cute and funny. 

The Deceivers (The Valhalla Academy #1) by Kristen Simmons – Releases February 5, 2019.

Pretty Little Liars meets Ocean’s 11? Ummm Yes Please! It’s been a while since I’ve read a good con artist story. Fingers crossed it meets my expectations. 

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne – Releases January 29, 2019.

As soon as I see the words romantic comedy, I am sold. 99 Percent Mine sounds totally cute and swoon worthy. 

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner – Releases on March 19, 2019.

I love Robin Hood. And I can appreciate a good spin on a classic tale. Sherwood looks like it would be a lot of fun to read.

Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare – Releases March 5, 2019.

I am all for a good psychological thriller and this one sounds like it’s right up my alley.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting – Releases April 9, 2019.

Here is yet another romantic comedy on my list. There seem to be a lot of good ones coming out. Meet Cute sounds totally adorable! I cannot wait to check it out. 

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella – Releases February 5, 2019.

Sophie Kinsella’s books are usually bright and fun romances. I enjoyed her Shopaholic series, and I hope that I like this one just as well.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager – Releases July 2, 2019.

So technically this book is slightly passed the first half of 2019, but it’s so close I am putting on the list anyways. I love Riley Sager. Final Girls was one of my favorite reads and I crossing my fingers that this book is just as good if not better. So excited for it!

The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden

Publication: December 5, 2017

Publisher: Del Rey (Random House)

Source: Publisher & Purchased my own copy

Synopsis:

The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home—but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege.

Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Moscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.

**************

I didn’t think it was possible, but I fell in love with Vasya a little bit more in this book. She is bold, loyal, and has such an adventurous spirit. She also has a way of finding trouble, or for trouble to find her; whichever way you want to look at it. Vasya is wise in some ways and in other areas a little naïve. It frustrated me a little when the characters would refer to Vasya as a child (or young), but as soon as she made a mistake, they were quick to say that she should have known because she was old enough. But who did she have in her life to guide her and tell her the rules of society and of life in general?

I loved the writing and descriptions of the world around Vasya. There were even a few moments where I almost cried. Vasya has definitely grown some on her journey since the first book. With no real place to call home, Vasya wants to travel and see the world, something a lady does not do in her time period. Especially by herself. She does not want to be married off or locked away in a convent. Of course the road she travels is not an easy one, and she encounters trouble along the way. But with the help of her loyal horse Solovey, and even Morozko on occasion, she feels confident she can handle what comes her way.

The Girl in the Tower is a wonderfully unique and atmospheric tale, that I thoroughly enjoyed. The Bear and the Nightingale is still my favorite out of these two books, however I found TGITT to be a good continuation to the events from TBATN. The ending for TGITT was well done. It tied some things up, but there were enough questions left unanswered that I was left wanting more. I am excited to see how everything else unfolds in the third and final book, The Winter of

the Witch, releasing January 9, 2019.

RATING: 4 out of 5.

BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Google Books

Books-a-Million | Book Depository | iBooks

Join the Addiction:

My Blog|Twitter|BlogLovin’|Facebook|Instagram

The Bear and the Nightingale (The Bear & the Nightingale #1) by Katherine Arden

Publication: January 10, 2017

Publisher: Del Rey Books

Source: Publisher/ Purchased my own copy also

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil. After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows. And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent. As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

I loved how the book began with the story of Morozko (The Lord of Winter) being told to the children in their home. I felt like it set the tone for the rest of the book.

Six years after the death of her mother, Vasilisa’s (Vasya) father brings home a new wife (Anna). Anna is very devout and strict. Her personality clashes greatly with Vasya, who is a bit of a rebel. At least for her time period. She doesn’t like to follow a lot of rules/orders. She gives food and talks to the spirits/creatures that live in the forest and in her home. Much to the dismay of her stepmother.

All of that comes to an end when Father Konstantin, a priest comes to their village. He forbids the worshiping of the spirits. Soon after that, the crops aren’t coming in as plentiful, the food sources start dwindling. But Father Konstantin just urges everyone to pray harder and be strong in their faith.

Vasya knows it is because the spirits/creatures are being neglected. And she even attempts to secretly appease them by herself. But it is not enough. And pretty soon an evil creature threatens to awaken and harm everyone.

The Bear and the Nightingale is a wonderfully imaginative and atmospheric tale that I enjoyed from start to finish. Gorgeous cover? Check. Historical Fiction? Check. Story involving a strong heroine and inspired by Russian folklore? Double check.

There is so much I could say about this book. I feel like my review doesn’t really do it justice. So I am going to tell you to check it out for yourself. The book started off a little slow, but it had a really interesting start and I fell in love with the writing style. The descriptions were vivid, the characters were complex and interesting. Each character added another layer to the story. I loved Vasya. She was a very strong character. It was interesting to see that in an “old tale” there was a “modern” girl. So far ahead of her time I thought. I was even more excited to discover that I would get to find out more about her when book 2 releases, The Girl in the Tower on December 5, 2017!

RATING: 5 out of 5

BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

iTunes | Book Depository | Google Books

Join the Addiction:

My Blog: | Twitter | BlogLovin’ | Facebook