**The book’s stall owner and I get into another long chat, just like the other day. I received a message in the post saying that she was receiving some exciting new books for her stall, a lot of which were fresh off the printing press. I thumb through the books that the stall owner, Marjorie, left before me on the table. I find one that has been interesting me for months, ever since I saw a poster for it on one of the shop windows. I bring the book over to Marjorie and pay for it then tuck it under my arm. Time to walk home.**

Seeing as how it is June, it is the perfect time to discuss my most anticipated releases for the second half of the year. A lot of my most anticipated for the year have already come out, but I still have a few that I’m looking forward to in the second half of the year, so let’s get right into it.

My first anticipated release for the second half of the year actually comes out tomorrow, on June 25. That book is A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston. I read her ya book Geekeralla a few years ago and liked it, and read her adult romance The Dead Romantics earlier this year. I thought that one was pretty good, so I want to read more from her. This new book follows a girl who gets sucked into a romance book. This seems like such a fun story and I can’t wait to see how Ashley Poston pulls it off.

The next book on my list is one that was actually previously released independently, but is getting picked up traditionally. The Match by Sarah Adams releases July 02 and follows a woman working with service dogs as she helps a little girl find one. Unfortunately, our protagonist doesn’t get off on the best foot with the girl’s dad, but some time shows that he isn’t too bad. I have been curious about Sarah Adams for a while, specifically this book, so I wanted to read this first, and when I saw that it was getting traditionally published, I figured I would wait until it was published this time around.

My next anticipated release is The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller, which releases July 09. This is the sequel/companion to The Shadows Between Us, which I read in 2022, which follows Alessandra who wants to woo the shadow king, marry him, and kill him and take his power for herself. I really enjoyed this first book so I wanted to see what the sequel is like, which follows Alessandra’s sister.

The next book is one that I found more recently, which is The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer, releasing July 16. I don’t even remember how I found this one, but it really intrigued me. This one is inspired by the Narnia series and is about two friends who went missing when they were young, only to magically reappear months later with no explanation. It takes place years later and tells the story about their disappearance and how they were transported to some magical world. I actually started reading the Narnia series last year and have been looking for more magical reads just like this one.

My next anticipated release is The Reckoning of Roku by Randy Ribay, which comes out July 23. This is the latest book in the series following other Avatars portrayed in the show Avatar: The Last Airbender. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but Roku is my favorite Avatar, so I was really curious to read this book. It follows Roku as he trains to be Avatar while helping Sozin and Gyatso.

Next up is The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, which comes out July 30. I have been really loving Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and I am so excited for the next book in The Inheritance Games series. The Inheritance Games follows a girl who inherits $40 billion from a man she doesn’t know, but there are stipulations in place to get the inheritance, like living with the man’s family, including his four grandchildren. The Grandest Game is the newest installment in this series.

The next book is probably my most anticipated release for the rest of the year, which is Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter, releasing October 01. I love Lynn Painter, and Better Than the Movies was my favorite book last year, so I’m excited to read this one. This sequel follows Liz and Wes and their time at college. I don’t want to say too much since this is a sequel, so I’m going to leave it at that.

Going back to Jennifer Lynn Barnes, we also have Games Untold, which releases November 12. This one is also set in the world of The Inheritance Games, but this one is a collection of short stories set in the world following different characters throughout the series. I can’t wait for this one. I love getting character backstories and can’t wait to see what this story will bring.

Finally, we have my other most anticipated release, which is The Party by Natasha Preston, coming out December 03.. I love Natasha Preston’s books and always look forward to them being released. This one follows a group of teens invited to a castle for a night of fun, but people start dying and they need to figure out who the killer is. I’ve read all of her thrillers except for The Dare, so I am excited for this new one to release.

I always get excited to look at all of the new book releases that are coming out in a year. These are all of the ones on my radar at the time being, at least until I inevitably find some new books that I’m excited for. Comment down below any of your own anticipated releases or if you have any of the same ones. 

xoxo,

Just another reader