21 Book Releases I'm Excited for in 2021

My TBR list is already a mile long but I can't help but add these new releases to it!

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The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: Apr. 20

Description: The third book in the Blood & Ash series. Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of.

Why I am excited for it: The second book in this series, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, ended with such a cliffhanger and I'm having a hard time being patient to read the third book. I cannot wait for this release.

A Touch of Malice by Scarlett St. Clair

Release Date: Apr. 2021

Description: The third book in the Blood & Ash series. Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of.

Why I am excited for it: The second book in this series, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, ended with such a cliffhanger and I'm having a hard time being patient to read the third book. I cannot wait for this release.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Release Date: Feb. 2

Description: Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life.

Why I am excited for it: I absolutely loved The Great Alone when I read it last year so I am beyond excited for this book. Hannah has become a true force in the historical fiction game and I am here for it.

A ​Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: Feb. 16

Description: The fourth book in the ACOTAR series (if you don't count A Court of Frost & Starlight, which I don't), focuses on Nesta, Feyre's older sister. Nesta has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits.

Why I am excited for it: The ACOTAR series reinvigorated my love for YA Fantasy so I am beyond excited to read more of the story. I really enjoy Maas' writing and characters.

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

Release Date: Apr. 20

Description: A young Puritan woman--faithful, resourceful, but afraid of the demons that dog her soul--plots her escape from a violent marriage in this riveting and propulsive historical thriller.

Why I am excited for it: I love the way Bohjalian crafts his thrillers. He does a great job of maintaining tension throughout the duration of his books which, as a thriller lovers, I really appreciate! I also love anything having to do with the witch trials so this is right up my alley.

Don't Call It a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of Nxivm by Sarah Berman

Release Date: Apr. 20

Description: Don't Call It a Cult is a riveting account of NXIVM's rise to power, its ability to evade prosecution for decades, and the investigation that finally revealed its dark secrets to the world. It explores why so many were drawn to its message of empowerment yet could not recognize its manipulative and harmful leader for what he was—a criminal.

Why I am excited for it: I love learning about cult's and this one is one of the more dangerous and terrifying ones. I'm interested to learn more!

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

Release Date: Apr. 20

Description: The third book in the Kiss Quotient series. To most people, Quan Diep is nothing but a surly-looking, underachieving playboy. The problem is he’s not any of those things. Anna Sun dislikes Quan Diep... Or so she tells herself. She will never admit that she has a secret crush on him, especially because he only has eyes for her charismatic and newly engaged younger sister Camilla.

Why I am excited for it: This is a really fun, romantic, and steamy series that features neurodiverse people which I love. It's not high literature, but I enjoy it!

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

Release Date: Jul. 6

Description: It’s November 1991. George H. W. Bush is in the White House, Nirvana’s in the tape deck, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie Jordan is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer.

Why I am excited for it: I love love love Riley Sager. All of his books are top tier mystery/thriller for me. So I have high hopes for this book! The premise sounds interesting and I'm hoping Sager can pull it off and hit this one out of the park like his others.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Release Date: Jan. 5

Description: Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

Why I am excited for it: I've been very into anything related to Greek gods and myths and this sounds like a Greek myth/Hunger Games crossover which intrigues me.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Release Date: Jun. 1

Description: A 23-year-old realizes her subway crush is displaced from 1970's Brooklyn, and she must do everything in her power to help her - and try not to fall in love with the girl lost in time - before it's too late.

Why I am excited for it: This just sounds like a fun and unique read. I really enjoyed Red, White, & Royal Blue, and this one sounds just as good. I think I'm going to enjoy the genre-blending of this book as well.

Velvet Was the Night by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia

Release Date: Aug. 17

Description: 1970s Mexico City. Maite is a secretary who lives for one thing: the latest issue of Secret Romance. When her next-door neighbor, Leonora, a beautiful art student, disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman–and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents.

Why I am excited for it: I love Moreno-Garcia's writing and storytelling. Mexican Gothic was one of my favorite books I read last year and Gods of Jade and Shadow is on my TBR. Can't wait for this one!

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Release Date: Mar. 2

Description: In this addictive and spectacularly imagined debut, a female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them—setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.

Why I am excited for it: This sounds so good! Just the kind of badass female revenge that I need! I also love the cover art...

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

Release Date: Mar. 2

Description: A family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

Why I am excited for it: This book sounds like an amazing mystery/thriller reads. It is a pretty unique premise which appeals to me (I can only read so many books about wives...). I actually received the ARC of this to read, i just haven't gotten around to it.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Release Date: Jun. 1

Description: Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

Why I am excited for it: I really enjoyed The Silent Patient which was Michaelides' debut. I think Michaelides did a great job with maintaining tension all the way through. So I have high hopes for this book as well!

The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst

Release Date: Mar. 9

Description: A standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.

Why I am excited for it: I've been reading a lot of fantasy series recently so I am looking forward to this standalone. The premise sounds like something I would like.

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

Release Date: May 18

Description: Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: this Jess understands.

Why I am excited for it: I've really enjoyed Christina Lauren's books before so I am looking forward to this one. The premise sounds interesting and I am hoping it is good.

Behold the Monster: Confronting America's Most Prolific Serial Killer and Uncovering the Women Society Forgot by Jillian Lauren

Release Date: Sept. 7

Description: A new true crime work exploring over 40 hours of interviews between Lauren and serial killer Samuel Little, one of the most prolific serial killers in America.

Why I am excited for it: I love true crime and this is a serial killer I don't know a whole lot about so I am interested to learn more. I think this is a promising book!

Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson

Release Date: Apr. 6

Description: In her new book, Jenny Lawson explores her experimental treatment of transcranial magnetic stimulation to try and treat her depression with brutal honesty. But also with brutal humor. She also talks about dealing with her insurance company, her vacuum cleaner, and ideas she wants to pitch to Shark Tank.

Why I am excited for it: I really enjoyed Lawson's previous book Furiously Happy and am looking forward to this one. She has a very unique and honest voice and feels like one of your friends when she writes.

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain

Release Date: Apr. 13

Description: Anna Hart is a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco with far too much knowledge of the darkest side of human nature. When overwhelming tragedy strikes her personal life, Anna, flees to the Northern California village of Mendocino to grieve. But she can't get away from her job.

Why I am excited for it: This book sounds like a really good mystery/thriller but also seems to go more into the personal side of being a detective and the toll it takes on you and your wellbeing. I think I'll like this one.

Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long

Release Date: Jan. 19

Description: Hessa is an Eangi: a warrior priestess of the Goddess of War, with the power to turn an enemy's bones to dust with a scream. Banished for disobeying her goddess's command to murder a traveller, she prays for forgiveness alone on a mountainside.

Why I am excited for it: Again, I've been really into gods and fantasy lately so this one sounds great.

Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green

Release Date: Mar. 9

Description: The Last Call Killer preyed upon gay men in New York in the ‘80s and ‘90s and had all the hallmarks of the most notorious serial killers. Yet because of the sexuality of his victims, the skyhigh murder rates, and the AIDS epidemic, his murders have been almost entirely forgotten.

Why I am excited for it: This is a case I've only ever seen on true crime TV shows so I am interested to learn more about the case in a longer form narrative. It's an incredibly sad story but I have high hopes for this to be a good and accurate account of it.

Which 2021 releases are you excited for?