9 Books I’m Excited to Read

There are so many books that I’m excited to read at the moment that will be released in the next few months — so I thought I would share some of them with you today, so that hopefully you will be just as excited as I am!

One of the best ways you can support your favourite authors is by pre-ordering their books, so if you are able, please do consider it when reading this post! I’m sure I can speak on their behalf when I say it would very much be appreciated. Plus, you’ll get a fantastic read on publication!

1. The Vanishing Trick by Jenni Spangler

This one is cheating a little bit … because I’ve already started reading it! The Vanishing Trick is a Victorian fantasy for children, and begins with an orphan, Leander, falling into the hands of the indomitable Madame Augustina Pinchbeck, and subsequently thrown into a world of magic, folklore and illusions.

I believe that Jenni Spangler is the next big voice in children’s magical history fiction, and is set to take the middle grade world by storm. If you’re looking for vivid settings, fantastic writing, and characters to root for, you need to read this.

Published on 30th April 2020 by Simon and Schuster Children’s UK.

2. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

One of my favourite YA books of last year was A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson — and I know I’m not the only one! It was a runaway success, and for very good reason. Good Girl, Bad Blood is the sequel and follows main character Pip as she deals with the aftermath of the first book, as well as a new murder to solve.

If you haven’t read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder yet, now is the perfect time! You’ll love it if you enjoy fast-paced murder mysteries with innovative formatting and enough twists to give you whiplash. I found it impossible to put down!

Published 30th April 2020 by Electric Monkey

3. Asking for a Friend by Kate Mallinder

Kate Mallinder writes the perfect feel-good books that I think are brilliant for young teens. Her debut, published last year, was Summer of No Regrets, and I’m hoping that Asking for a Friend will be another book that will make you feel as if you’re lying under the sun on the beach.

In Asking for a Friend, three teenagers are thrown together on the school bus and plan a pre-exam “study break” trip to Weston, but they’re not all being truthful about their reasons for heading there. It’s described as being about “valuing the friends who value you” — one of my favourite YA themes! How good does it sound?! I can’t wait!

Published 21st May 2020 by Firefly Press

4. Heartbreak Boys by Simon James Green

Simon James Green is one of my favourite YA writers, although I do read his books very slowly — because I’m always laughing too much to read them any quicker! The concept of Heartbreak Boys is AMAZING: two boys, Jack and Nate, find themselves dumped by their boyfriends, who are now going out. So they decide to show that they’re having a great time without them and embark on a road trip.

I am in love already!! I can tell I am going to adore this — it sounds like just my thing!

Published in August 2020 by Scholastic

5. The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D Lapinski

Another magical middle grade! The Strangeworlds Travel Agency has been compared to Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor, which is one of my favourite children’s books, so I’m sure this will be right up my street. I’ve already heard very good things from early reviewers!

Imagine stepping into a suitcase and being transported to a different world. Well, that’s the premise of the book: 12-year-old Flick is invited to join the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, visiting other worlds through the suitcases, but soon learns that the city of Five Lights, at the centre of the world, is in trouble — and she has to race against time to fix it before it disappears, taking our world with it.

Published 30th April 2020 by Hachette Children’s Group

6. Destination Anywhere by Sara Barnard

There’s nothing better than a new Sara Barnard novel. One of my favourite books of all time is A Quiet Kind of Thunder, and I’ve also read and loved all of her other books. So I was very happy to hear that there’ll be a new one this year: Destination Anywhere!

The book centres on 17-year-old Peyton, who has had a very tough time at school but is hoping things will improve once she gets to sixth form. The story takes her to Canada, where she hopes to find her place in the world, and I love the idea of a UKYA book set in Canada — which, I think, will be a first for me!

Very exciting!

Published 25th June 2020 by Macmillan Children’s Books

7. Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

I am SO excited for a new Tanya Byrne book! As a young teen, I devoured Heartshaped Bruise and Follow Me Down, so you can imagine how extreme my excitement was when I first heard about Afterlove. Tanya is one of the best voices in UKYA, and I can’t wait for even more people to discover just how wonderful she is.

When Ash is hit by a car, she exists in the afterlife, where she becomes a fierce girl-reaper and collect the souls of the city’s dead. However, Ash also can’t forget her first love, Poppy, and is determined to see her again, either dead or alive. I would very much like to be able to close my eyes and wish upon a star to be reading this immediately!

Published in August 2020 by Hodder Children’s Books

8. Moonchild: Voyage of the Lost and Found by Aisha Bushby (illustrated by Rachael Dean)

When Amira and her sea-witch mothers are shipwrecked, they reach the Sahar Peninsula, a land that is recorded by no map and can only be reached by crossing the horizon. Amira has a jinn — an animal companion, Namur, who takes the form of a cat, and when she gets the chance to explore on land, she meets a boy who is just like her. But when Namur goes missing, Amira will learn what it really means to be a Moonchild.

I may sneakily be reading Moonchild at the moment and I can confirm that it is AMAZING. Exquisitely written and vividly drawn, it feels like you’re reading a Studio Ghibli film. I always read Aisha’s writing with wonder, and her stories make me feel as if I’m a child again. Moonchild is no different!

Published 6th August 2020 by Egmont

9. Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a really good fantasy YA, mainly because my tastes tend to go towards contemporary (as you can probably tell from this list!), but I have a feeling that Dangerous Remedy is going to become a new fantasy favourite, especially as it’s drawn comparisons to the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo.

It’s set during the French Revolution where Camille, the daughter of a revolutionary, leads a group of rebellions called the Battalion des Mortes, who save the lives of those destined for the guillotine. I’m always very keen to support UKYA fantasy, which never fails to impress — and deserves lots of attention!

Published 5th May 2020 by Zephyr

What books are you looking forward to reading soon? 

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