Is your TBR pile looking a little short? Need some extra titles to add to it? Look no further! In my pursuit to look at what new books are coming I’ve picked out 10 new and upcoming releases that sound worthy of adding to the TBR pile. From heart pounding romance, to intriguing fantasy and tender translated fiction, let’s take a look at my 10 picks of the upcoming months. I’m keen to read all of these new release titles.
1. The Girl with No Reflection – 6th August 2024
A young woman chosen as the crown prince’s bride must travel to the royal palace to meet her new husband-but her world is shaken when she discovers the dark truth the royal family has been hiding for centuries-in this lush fantasy debut perfect for fans of Amélie Wen Zhao and Iron Widow.
Ying Yue believes in love. So when the royal matchmaker selects her to wed the crown prince, Ying hopes that love is exactly what awaits her. No matter that the royal family is notoriously reclusive, rarely leaving their walled palace-and no matter the rumors about the previous royal brides, who after their weddings, were supposedly never seen again. Ying knows that she was chosen for a reason. After all, why else would the matchmaker select her, out of all the girls in the kingdom? Yet upon her arrival at the royal palace, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale wedding quickly disintegrate. Her husband-to-be is cold, stoic, and utterly infuriating-he and Ying can’t make it through a single conversation without wanting to throttle each other. Left alone in her room with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things. When Ying discovers a secret parallel world accessible through the palace mirrors, she thinks she’s found the perfect way to escape her upcoming nuptials. In this mirror universe, the prince is kind and compassionate, and it isn’t long before he and Ying start to fall for one another. But there is darkness in this new world, too. It turns out, Ying was chosen as the prince’s bride for a reason-but not the reason she thinks. The two worlds have a long and bloody history, and Ying has a part to play in the future of them both. And the brides who came before Ying? By the time they found out what their role was, it was already too late.
I was lucky enough to interview Keshe Chow ahead of the release of her debut novel, she was so generous to discuss her writing process. Her Sydney book launch was also so much fun, I even got a signed copy!
2. Before We Forget Kindness – 24th September 2024
In the fifth book in the sensational Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, the mysterious cafe where customers arrive hoping to travel in time welcomes four new guests:
The father who could not allow his daughter to get married
A woman who couldn’t give Valentine’s Day chocolates to her loved one
A boy who wants to show his smile to his divorced parents
A wife holding a child with no name . . .
They must follow the cafe’s strict rules, however, and come back to the present before their coffee goes cold. In another moving and heartwarming tale from Toshikazu Kawaguchi, our new visitors wish to go back into their past to move on their present, finding closure and comfort so they can embark on a beautiful future.
This series is a personal favourite, I adore these novels and the snapshots of humanity in moments of time. This is definitely going to be high up on my TBR pile come the end of September.
3. Daydream – 4th September 2024
The third installment in the bestselling Maple Hills series follows fan-favourite Henry and a bookish fellow student who come up with a plan to help each other in and out of the classroom.
When procrastination lands him in a difficult class with his least favorite professor, Henry Turner knows he’s going to have to work extra hard to survive his junior year of college. And now with his new role as ice hockey captain – which he didn’t even want – Henry absolutely cannot fail. Enter Halle Jacobs, a fellow junior who finds herself befriended by Henry when he accidentally crashes her book club. Halle may not have the romantic pursuits of her favorite fictional leads, but she’s an academic superstar, and when she hears about Henry’s problems with his class reading material, she offers to help. But being a private tutor isn’t exactly ideal given her own studies, job and the novel she’s trying to write. New experiences are the key to beating her writer’s block, though, and Henry’s promising to be the one to give them to her. They just need to stick to their rulebook. Oh, and not fall in love.
The Maple Hills series is the series that got me into reading contemporary romances, particularly hockey romances! Always a ton of fun I can’t wait to return to the team with Henry’s book.
4. Lost and Lassoed – 12th November 2024
She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one. She’s more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He’s always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?
Save a horse, ride a cowboy. At least that’s what they say right? This cowboy romance series is a winner in my eyes, beautifully written stories you can escape into with ease. Teddy has been a fun secondary character so far, so I am thrilled to see how things go when she takes centre stage at the ranch.
5. Not for the Faint of Heart – 3rd September 2024
Rip-roaringly romantic, fast-paced and funny – discover the brand new Sapphic historical fantasy adventure from the author of Cafe Nero Award shortlisted, YA Book Prize nominated and Books Are My Bag Reader’s Award winner, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love
‘You aren’t merry,’ said Clem to her captor. ‘And you aren’t all men. So there’s been some marketing confusion somewhere along the line.’
Mariel, a newly blooded captain of the Merry Men, is desperate to live up to the legacy of her grandfather, the legendary Robin Hood. Clem, a backwoods assistant healer known for her new-fangled cures, just wants to help people. When Mariel’s ramshackle band kidnap Clem as retribution for her guardian helping the Sheriff of Nottingham, all seems to be going (sort of) to plan … until Jack Hartley, Mariel’s father and Commander of the Merry Men, is captured in a deadly ambush. Determined to prove herself, Mariel sets out to get him back – with her annoyingly cheerful kidnappee in tow. But the wood is at war. Many believe the Merry Men are no longer on the right side of history. Watching Clem tend the party’s wounds, Mariel begins to doubt the cause to which she has devoted her life. As the two of them grow closer, one thing is clear. They must prepare to fight for their lives – and for the lives of everybody in the greenwood.
Queer fantasy romance, Robin Hood retelling, a bunch of heart and humour. Tick, tick, tick. What’s not to love about the premise of Lex Croucher’s latest YA novel?
6. At the End of the River Styx – 24th September 2024
Before he can be reborn, Zan has spent 499 years bound in a 500-year curse to process souls for the monstrous Ferryman—and if he fails he dies. In Portland, Bastian is grieving. He survived a car accident that took his mother and impulse-purchased a crumbling bookstore with the life insurance money. But in sleep, death’s mark keeps dragging Bastian into Zan’s office. It shouldn’t be a problem to log his soul and forget he ever existed. But when Zan follows Bastian through his memories of grief and hope, Zan realizes that he is not ready for Bastian to die. The boys borrow time hiding in the memories of the dead while the Ferryman hunts them, and Zan must decide if he’s willing to give up his chance at life to save Bastian—and Bastian must decide if he’s willing to keep living if it means losing Zan.
Looking for a myth retelling with a bit of funk and devastation? That’s what I feel we have in store with this one. I already know my heart is going to break, and I’m going to love it.
7. For She is Wrath – 12th November 2024
Lovers-to-enemies as you’ve never seen it before, Emily Varga’s YA romantasy debut For She is Wrath is the epic tale of a girl escaped from prison and hell-bent on revenge.
Betrayed by her ex-lover and falsely imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit, Dania counts down the days until she can exact her revenge. When a fellow prisoner offers a chance at escape and the keys to a dangerous Jinn magic, Dania seizes the opportunity and, armed with a brand-new identity and all the power she could want, enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her and her family. But the one person standing in her way is the very man who signed her life away in the first place, and retribution becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse. Because sometimes betrayal isn’t as simple as it seems and revenge certainly isn’t as easy – not when your heart is involved. Prepare to be swept away in this epic and romantic gender-flipped retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo by debut author Emily Varga.
Who doesn’t love a pissed off heroine making a deal for some dangerous magic to get back those that betrayed her? You go girl!
8. The Phoenix Keeper – 12th August 2024
As head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures, Aila’s childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever. There’s just one glaring caveat: her zoo’s breeding program hasn’t functioned for a decade. When a tragic phoenix heist sabotages the flagship initiative at a neighbouring zoo, Aila must prove her derelict facilities are fit to take the reins. But saving an entire species from extinction requires more than stellar animal handling skills. Carnivorous water horses, tempestuous thunderhawks, mischievous dragons… Aila has no problem wrangling beasts. Inspiring zoo patrons? That’s another story. Mustering the courage to ask for help from the hotshot griffin keeper at the zoo’s most popular exhibit? Virtually impossible. Especially when that hotshot griffin keeper happens to be her arch-rival from college: Luciana, an annoyingly brooding and insufferable know-it-all with the grace of a basilisk and the face of a goddess who’s convinced that Aila’s beloved phoenix would serve their cause better as an active performer rather than as a passive conservation exhibit. With the world watching and the threat of poachers looming, Aila’s success is no longer merely a matter of keeping her job… She is the keeper of the phoenix, and the future of a species now rests on her shoulders. There’s just one thing she has to remember: she is also not alone.
Against an epic fantasy backdrop teeming with all your favourite mythical beasts from dragons and unicorns to kelpies and krakens, The Phoenix Keeper combines the cozy fantasy stakes of TJ Klune and Travis Baldree with the heartwarming contemporary romance of Alice Oseman and Casey McQuiston.
This one sounds so intriguing, I love a cosy romance with some stakes. The idea of a magical zoo is to cute. Let’s hope she can save the phoenix!
9. Skysong – 1st October 2024
A beautiful, lyrical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale
Oriane is the skylark, and the sun only rises if she wills it. Every morning, she transforms from woman to bird, calling the dawn with her song. Seclusion has kept her safe her whole life – but it has also left her lonely, and craving freedom. When Oriane finally succumbs to the lure of the wild unknown, she is discovered in the gardens of the royal palace, where she is taken in by the king and treated like a goddess – and a prisoner. Embroiled in a battle of faith and politics, Oriane yearns to return to her safe, simple life. A growing danger surrounds the palace, and the skylark and her gift are at its centre. But within the whispers, Oriane learns something she never expected: she may not be as alone as she thought. There may be another like her. The nightingale.
Not a story I’ve seen retelling’s of before this sounds both glitteringly delightful yet potentially unsettling and dangerous. Sign me up!
10. The The Restaurant of Lost Recipes – 8th October 2024
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the second book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives.
Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner. Running this unique establishment are a father-daughter duo who serve more than just mouth-watering feasts. The pair have reinvented themselves as ‘food detectives’, offering a service that goes beyond traditional dining. Through their culinary sleuthing, they reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a connection to cherished moments from the past. Among those who seek an appointment include: a one-hit wonder pop star, finally ready to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career, wants to try the tempura that she ate to celebrate her only successful record and a budding Olympic swimmer who desires the bento lunch box that his estranged father used to make him. The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve meals – it revives lost recipes and rekindles forgotten memories. It’s a doorway to the past through the miracle of delicious food.
I loved The Kamogawa Food Detectives, so I am so excited to give this follow up novel a read in October!
Don’t these books sound absolutely wonderful reads! What are you excited about? Share what you’re adding to your TBR in the comments.
Until next time,
