December Book Releases

It is December 1st so I am officially allowed to say welcome to the festive season! Everyone seems to be putting together their Christmas wish list as well as deciding what to buy for friends and family. Last year I bought the majority of my friends and family books. I think books can be such thoughtful presents when you take the time to find a story that perfectly fits another person. It isn’t always easy but it is very rewarding when you hear how much they enjoyed it (hopefully!) There may even be some perfect book presents in December’s new releases. Here are some books to keep an eye out for:

Queen of Air and Darkness 

Title: Queen of Air and Darkness

Author: Cassandra Clare

Published: 4th December 2018

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Genre: YA Fantasy

I am yet to read a Cassandra Clare book. I know, it is a terrible state of affairs. The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices series have all been on my TBR list for a very long time. Cassandra Clare’s books have a die-hard fan base and I’m sure for good reason. I know a lot of people are super excited for the release of book three in the Shadowhunters series. The synopsis is enough to get me excited, even without having read the previous books:

“What if damnation is the price of true love?

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the blight that is destroying the race of warlocks.

Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined.

Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

Dark secrets and forbidden love threaten the very survival of the Shadowhunters in Cassandra Clare’s Queen of Air and Darkness, the final novel in the bestselling The Dark Artifices trilogy. Queen of Air and Darkness is a Shadowhunters novel”

All The Wandering Light

Title: All The Wandering Light

Author: Heather Fawcett

Published: 4th December 2018

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Genre: YA Fantasy

The sequel to Even the Darkest Stars, with an even more beautiful cover. A lot of book bloggers have said that they really enjoyed the main character in this series, Kamzin. If you like magic, quests and exciting endings then this series is definitely one you should pick up. If you have already read book one then I’m sure you will be excited by the synopsis for book two:

“After the terrifying events on Mount Raksha, the witches have returned, and River has betrayed Kamzin to regain his dark powers. The witches’ next step: march on the Three Cities and take over the Empire—led by River’s brother, Esha.

If Kamzin is to save Azmiri and prevent the fall of the Empire, she must find a star that fell in the Ash Mountains to the north. Fallen stars have immense power, and if Kamzin and Lusha can find the star, they can use its magic to protect the Empire. To get there, Kamzin has allied with Azar-at, the dangerous and deceptive fire demon, who can grant her great power—in exchange for pieces of her soul. But River wants the star too, and as their paths collide in dangerous and unexpected ways, Kamzin must wrestle with both her guilt and her conflicted feelings for the person who betrayed her.

Facing dark magic, a perilous journey, and a standoff against the witches, can Kamzin, Lusha, and Tem find the star and save their Empire?”

The Disasters

Title: The Disasters

Author: M.K. England

Published:  18th December 2018

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

I haven’t heard a lot about this book but it looks awesome! It has over 4 stars average rating on Goodreads, with over 100 advanced reviewers, which is extremely promising. I love a bit of science fiction and this one sounds action packed. I am really pleased to see the LGBT label on Goodreads as representation matters. I would love to know your thoughts if you have had the chance to read this one already! I will be grabbing a copy and here is the synopsis that has me rather excited:

“Hotshot pilot Nax Hall has a history of making poor life choices. So it’s not exactly a surprise when he’s kicked out of the elite Ellis Station Academy in less than twenty-four hours.

But Nax’s one-way trip back to Earth is cut short when a terrorist group attacks the Academy. Nax and three other washouts escape—barely—but they’re also the sole witnesses to the biggest crime in the history of space colonization. And the perfect scapegoats.

On the run and framed for atrocities they didn’t commit, Nax and his fellow failures execute a dangerous heist to spread the truth about what happened at the Academy.

They may not be “Academy material,” and they may not get along, but they’re the only ones left to step up and fight.”

The Girl with the Broken Heart

Title: The Girl with the Broken Heart

Author: Lurlene McDaniel

Published:  18th December 2018

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Genre: YA Contemporary

Anyone who knows me fairly will understand why I want to read this book. I have a severe heart condition and understand what it is like to be have restrictive physical limits so to find a character who has the same sort of struggles is really interesting for me. I suspect this will be a tearjerker so I will be reading this one on a day when I need a really good cry! Lurlene McDaniel is apparently well known for writing characters that struggle with chronic or terminal illnesses. Have you read any of her previous books? Here is the synopsis to give you a better idea of the story:

“An inspirational story about love, tragedy, heartbreak, and renewal as a young woman deals with her serious health issues, a fractured family life, and the prospect of romantic love while trying to remain focused on her studies and a lifelong dream.

Kenzie Caine is enrolled at Vanderbilt University, with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. When she lands a summer job caring for and helping to rehabilitate abused horses at the Bellmeade Estate stables, she is over-the-moon happy. One place she does not want to be is at home with her parents. Since the tragic death of Kenzie’s younger sister, her mother has unraveled and her father has lost Kenzie’s trust.

At the stables, Kenzie is in her element. But a serious heart condition limits her ability to complete the more physical aspects of the job, so her employers have tasked the charming Austin Boyd with helping her. But Austin has secrets. And as Kenzie and Austin become closer, those secrets threaten to harm their relationship, as well as reveal other startling truths.”

Evermore

Title: Evermore

Author: Sara Holland

Published: 31st December 2018

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: YA Fantasy

The sequel to Everless, which I read last year and really enjoyed. I am sure that I posted a review for book one but it seems to have gone MIA! What I remember enjoying most about the first book is the way that Sempera’s myths and folk tales were entwined within the story.  It was a very fast and enjoyable read so I have high hopes for the sequel and have had it pre-ordered for a long time! Plus the covers are gorgeous.

“Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: not only are the stories true, but she herself is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress.

The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Jules must delve into the stories that she now recognizes are accounts of her own past. For it is only by piecing together the mysteries of her lives that Jules will be able to save the person who has captured her own heart in this one.”

Thank you for having a look at my top releases for this month. Are there any December releases that you are excited about? Ho ho ho Merry Blogmas everyone.