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Culture

The Book Releases I’m Most Anticipating This Year

Tara Siegel
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pace chapter.

As a book lover, one thing I always look forward to at the start of every year is brand-new releases from the authors I love. As much as I try to refrain from buying a book as soon as it hits stores, there’s something so satisfying about a fresh copy, even if my ever-growing TBR (to be read) pile suffers as a consequence!

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

A book that was recently released on Jan. 30, and one that I am still very much anticipating reading is House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas (SJM). Whether you love her, hate her, or are just sick and tired of hearing about her, SJM is dominating the industry right now with her mega-popular series, A Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass. Not to brag (I totally am), I’ve been an avid reader of her books since their initial releases, way back before “BookTok” even existed. There’s no question that the woman knows how to write a gripping story with just the right amount of action, heart, Fae, and, of course, spice. This new book is the third installment of her first fantasy series in the New Adult genre, Crescent City. Not much can be said in terms of synopsis without spoiling major plot points from the first two books, but I’m very excited to see where this installment takes us. I know I’ll be on the edge of my seat for all 850 pages!

Funny Story by Emily Henry

Next on my list is Funny Story by Emily Henry, set to release on April 23. Without a doubt one of my new favorite authors of all time, Henry has earned herself a spot among the best of the best when it comes to the romance genre. I find all of her books to have incredibly relatable and real characters that feel like people you would talk to in everyday life. She can also write banter like nobody else! This new novel is about a children’s librarian named Daphne, who, after ending an engagement, agrees to be roommates with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex. It sounds messy, and that is what I like in my romance novels! I’ve also found that knowing as little about the plot as possible before going into Emily Henry’s books makes them that much more fun to read. I can’t wait to see what she has cooked up for us readers this time. 

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

If you love Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse series, then you should be hyped for her next novel The Familiar coming out April 9. This book is described as a historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age in Madrid, where scullion maid Luzia Cotado must hide the magical gift she possesses. Her talent peaks the interest of the disgraced secretary to the King, Antonio Pérez, who’ll do anything to gain favor back with the monarchy. I love a good historical fiction novel where you can learn a lot about a real moment in history, but with a fantasy element that immerses you in a new world. Bardugo is a fantastic world-builder, so I’m looking forward to reading what she has in store for us next. 

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

Crazy Rich Asians is one of my favorite movies of all time, so I always like to look out for when author Kevin Kwan has new releases. The follow-up to his 2020 novel, Sex and Vanity, is coming out May 21 and is titled Lies and Weddings. A former Hong Kong supermodel with mounting debt is pressuring her son, Rufus, to find a wealthy wife at his sister’s wedding in Hawaii. He must then choose between his family’s whims or following his own heart. The story takes us all around the globe, to places like Marrakech, L.A, and England. What unfolds promises to be a wild story filled with romance, drama, money, and murder, all tied together with Kwan’s specialty: glitz and glamour.  

Like Love: Essays and Conversations by Maggie Nelson

No matter how deep my love for fiction novels is, memoirs are a genre that I always dabble in when something catches my eye. Sometimes, a truly human story is more moving than any work of fiction. On April 2, Maggie Nelson is releasing an essay collection titled Like Love: Essays and Conversations. Nelson is an esteemed author of poetry and prose like The Argonauts and Bluets, but this collection is a time capsule of 20 years worth of work. Profiles, reviews, critical essays, and conversations make up the book with themes of love, friendship, feminism, and more. Seeing the world from another person’s perspective is the best way to learn not only more about them but also about the communities around us. I have high hopes for this release!

Tara Siegel is the current senior editor and junior contributor to the Her Campus chapter at Pace University. She loves editing and curating content for her fellow members, and she writes about a wide variety of topics, including music, film, pop culture, and current events. Beyond Her Campus, Tara is studying Communications and Media at Pace, and minoring in Journalism. She is also a writing tutor at the Learning Commons on campus. While in her hometown of Denver, Colorado she has taught children's dance at her local studio and loves to participate in her old dance community. She is interested in pursuing a career in media or journalism. In her free time, you can probably find Tara at a concert of one of her many favorite artists, reading, playing with makeup, or talking about K-pop with her best friends.