Most Anticipated Books of 2014

New books coming out in 2014! There are so many good ones that I can’t wait for, but I managed to narrow it down to 16 books. I tried for 14, but I couldn’t decide on a few. Some of these are follow-ups, some are first in series, some are stand-alones, and they all look great. So let’s get to it!

• Written in My Own Heart’s Blood (Diana Gabaldon, Outlander book 8). It’s June of 1778 and the Revolutionary War is in full swing, and the hard winter at Valley Forge has ended. Also in the 20th century, Brianna has had her husband disappear into the past, her son kidnapped, and is facing up to a criminal. I’m not sure if this is the final book in this series or not, but I cannot wait to read it. Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is due to be released on June 10, 2014.
• Lady Thief (A.C. Gaughen, Scarlet book 2). The second in this trio of books on the Robin Hood legend with Lady Marian disguised as Will Scarlet, a professional thief in Robin Hood’s gang. In this book, her secret that she is nobility is out in the open. She is being forced to marry Sir Guy, who was part of the reason she assumed the identity of Will in the first place, and the marriage threatens the love that she has found with Robin. Prince John is coming to Nottingham to announce the new sheriff, and he has plans that revolve around Scarlet. She has to now behave as a lady of the court, but she is doing so to help Robin. Lady Thief is due to be released February 11, 2014.
• The Blood of Olympus (Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus book 5). Our favorite heroes are racing to defeat Gaea before the Feast of Spes, before two demigods are sacrificed to wake her. In case that wasn’t enough, Camp Jupiter’s Legion is getting closer to Camp Half Blood, with Octavian leading the charge to attack the Greek demigod camp, and our heroes on the Argo II are having visions of a battle at Camp Half Blood. They hope the Athena Parthenos statue will reach the demigods in time to stop the war between the Romans and the Greeks. And the gods are still between their Roman and Greek personalities, and of no real help to the demigods. Just in case this doesn’t sound stressful enough, Riordan has all but said (at least I think he hasn’t fully said it) that one of the seven (Percy, Annabeth, Leo, Hazel, Frank, Piper, and Jason) won’t survive. And then this morning he tweeted “Everything is proceeding according to plan. *diabolical laughter*” when someone asked him how writing Blood of Olympus was going. So you know, no reason to worry about how the final book in the Heroes of Olympus series will devastate the fandom and all. The Blood of Olympus is due to be released October 7, 2014.
• Cress (Marissa Meyer, Lunar Chronicles book 3). Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf are all on the run and trying to stay ahead of Queen Levana, ruler of the Lunar people. Their best hope lies with Cress, a talented hacker in the service of Queen Levana, who has been locked on a satellite all her life, only with her netscreens for company. Cress is rescued from her satellite, but it is a rescue that comes with a cost, and now she along with Cinder and Scarlet may be the only ones who can save the world from Levana, who will do whatever she has to to see her marriage to Emperor Kai take place. This book I believe pulls the fairy tale of Rapunzel into the series, with Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood being the first two books. Cress is due to be released February 4.
• The Unbound (Victoria Schwab, The Archived book 2). Following the story of Mackenzie, who is trying to solve the mystery of people just disappearing and leaving no trace. She’s trying to find out who the culprit is before she loses her job as Keeper, her memories, and her life. Still have to read The Archived, so I’ll probably marathon through the two books at the same time. The Unbound is due to be released January 28.
• The One (Kiera Cass, The Selection book 3). America is approaching the end of the competition to win Prince Maxon’s heart, and it is getting more vicious all the time. At the same time, the threats outside the palace grow more and more every day. America now realizes just what she may lose and how much she’ll have to fight for the future she wants to have. And while I’m not one to fall for the books just because of the cover art, the covers in this series are truly stunning, making it worth buying in physical form instead of digital form, just to have them on the shelf when not being read. The One is due to be released May 6.
• The Infinite Sea (Rick Yancy, The 5th Wave book 2). The follow-up to Rick Yancy’s amazing start of The 5th Wave series, we rejoin Cassie, Ben, and Ringer on their mission to save the human race from The Other’s, who’s only mission is to cause the extinction of all the humans on earth. AND EVAN IS ALIVE, RIGHT?! Waiting to find out that alone is agony for me. I can’t wait to get back into this world, it’s so wonderful to read about all that Yancy has created. Although come on Rick, you missed the chance to name this book The 6th Wave. And I also can’t wait to see the cover for this book. I’m just excited for every part of it. The Infinite Sea is due to be released September 16. And watch, I’ll have some test the day after it’s released.
• Into the Still Blue (Veronica Rossi, Under the Never Sky book 3). The conclusion to the Under the Never Sky trilogy, the Dwellers and the Outsiders must be united to save the world, and the race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Perry and Aria team up to start a rescue mission to save Cinder, because he is their key to the Still Blue, and also their friend and they can’t just leave him. I haven’t read this series yet, but I have book one, so I’ll probably just marathon through the series when this one comes out. Into the Still Blue is due to be released January 28.
• The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Michelle Hodkin, Mara Dyer series book 3). This is the “mind-blowing conclusion” of the Mara Dyer trilogy, and is another series I haven’t started yet, and plan to marathon through when it’s released. The Retribution of Mara Dyer is due to be released June 10.
• Such Sweet Sorrow (Jenny Trout). Jenny Trout, who’s 50 Shades of Grey recaps are completely hilarious, and who’s The Boss series, written under the name Abigail Barnette, are some of my favorites, has taken the stories of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet and combined them. Romeo and Hamlet must work together to take on the Underworld, that is filled with all sorts of monsters for Romeo to restore Juliet to life. Hamlet was left with the key to the Afterjord when his father died, and when Romeo asks to go through to find Juliet, he sees this as a chance to avenge his father’s death. Such Sweet Sorrow is due to be released February 4.
• Mortal Heart (Robin LaFever, His Fair Assassins book 3). The third book in the awesome His Fair Assassins series, the first one focusing on Ismae, the second one focusing on Sybella, this one will be focusing on Annith! Having watched her sisters go into and out of the convent all her life to carry out their work for St. Mortain, who’s convent they are all in service to, Annith waits to be sent on her own mission. But she discovers she is being groomed by the Abbess to become the Seeress of the convent and spend the rest of her life in the stone womb of the convent, and she decides to strike out on her own. She wants to be an assassin and work out of the convent like Ismae and Sybella, not be trapped in the center of the convent forever. This series is a wonderful one, and I can’t wait to read a book about Annith. Mortal Heart is due to be released November 4.
• Untitled Darkest Minds book (Alexandra Bracken, The Darkest Minds book 3). The exciting third book in The Darkest Minds series. What will happen to Ruby, Chubs, Liam, Vida, Cole, and ugh, Clancy? Did Jude somehow miraculously survive the explosion? (Can we really get lucky with another survival after Chubs survived being shot?) ARE WE GOING TO SEE ZU AGAIN?! Will they find what they need to about the disease that has taken over the children of America? How will it end? I love this series. Along with not having a title for this book, we still don’t have a release date. So stay tuned for the title, release date, and cover!
• This Shattered World (Amie Kaufman, Starbound book 2). This book opens six months after the events that took place in These Broken Stars, and is a companion novel to the first book. This book “follows a new pair of star-crossed lovers”, a rebel fighting for all that is his home and a soldier who is on a mission to eradicate the rebellion. And they are both facing a darkness in the newly terraformed world. There is no cover and no release date as of yet for this book.
• Dorothy Must Die (Danielle Page, Dorothy Must Die book 1). The first book in a new series! Oz is in trouble. You can’t trust the “good” witches. The yellow brick road is crumbling. All of his has happened because Dorothy came back to Oz and seized power. Amy Gumm, the “other girl from Kansas”, has been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked; and she has four tasks to complete: remove the heart from the Tin Man, take the Scarecrow’s brain, steal the Lion’s courage, and after those three things, and only after those three things, kill Dorothy. This story looks awesome, and I cannot wait to read it! Dorothy Must Die is due to be released April 1.
• Landline (Rainbow Rowell). Georgie and Neal’s marriage is in trouble, and when Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go with him to Omaha for Christmas because of work, Neal surprises her by packing up him and their kids and going to Omaha anyways. She wonders if all is lost for the two of them, but that night she discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. She thinks that this may be a way to save their marriage before it even has started, or it may be a way to never let their marriage happen at all. After reading Fangirl, I love Rainbow Rowell and can’t wait to read more of her books! Landline is due to be released July 8.
• Uninvited (Sophie Jordan, Uninvited book 1). Described as “The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report . . . about a teen girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she’s destined to become a murderer.” Davy Hamilton loses everything after her test, and she can only relate to Sean, who carries the same predisposition in his genes. But because he carries those genes, she isn’t sure she can trust him. And she’s also not sure she can trust herself. Uninvited is due to be released January 28.

So those are the books I’m most looking forward to this year. For the ones that have yet to have titles, release dates, or covers, I’ll probably post when those pieces of information are released. These books are listed in no particular order, and I’ll probably review them when I get to read them.