My Most Anticipated Reads of 2018 – The YA Edit

In part two of my most anticipated reads of 2018 I’m focusing on the young adult books due for publication!

Once again titles link to the Goodreads page – Publication dates are UK dates unless stated and correct to the best of my knowledge but subject to change

 Everless

Sara Holland; HarperTeen

Publication Date: 2^nd January 2018

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

I never really considered myself much of a fantasy fan although I obviously loved Harry Potter growing up (still do) but after reading Gilded Cage I’ve been on a bit of a hunt for more fantasy, and if it’s a little dark sounding like this one all the better! This one is waiting on my iPad so I think it will be one of my first 2018 reads!

 Cadaver & Queen

Alisa Kwitney; HarperTeen

Publication Date: 27^th February 2018

When Lizzie Lavenza enrolled at Ingold as its first female medical student, she knew she wouldn’t have an easy time. From class demands to being an outsider among her male cohorts, she’ll have to go above and beyond to prove herself. So when she stumbles across what appears to be a faulty Bio-mechanical–one of the mechanized cadavers created to service the school–she jumps at the chance to fix it and get ahead in the program.

Only this Bio-mechanical isn’t like the others. Where they are usually empty-minded and perfectly obedient, this one seems to have thoughts, feelings…and self-awareness.

Soon Lizzie realizes that it is Victor Frankenstein–a former student who died under mysterious circumstances. Victor, it seems, still has a spark of human intelligence inside him, along with memories of things he discovered before his untimely death…and a suspicion that he was murdered to keep that information from getting out.Suddenly Lizzie finds herself intertwined in dark secrets and sabotage that put her life, and the lives of Victor and their friends, in danger. But Lizzie’s determined to succeed–even if that means fighting an enemy who threatens the entire British Empire.

I was scanning through NetGalley when this cover caught my eye, it’s beautiful and slightly eerie, and then I read the blurb and it just screams READ ME! to me. I may just have to pre-order this one!

 More Than We Can Tell

Brigid Kemmerer; Bloomsbury Children’s

Publication Date: 6^th March 2018

From the author of Letters to the Lost comes a heart-wrenching story of two teens with big secrets and a love that could set them free.

Rev Fletcher is battling the demons of his past. But with loving adoptive parents by his side, he’s managed to keep them at bay…until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma Blue spends her time perfecting the computer game she built from scratch, rather than facing her parents’ crumbling marriage. She can solve any problem with the right code, but when an online troll’s harassment escalates, she’s truly afraid.

When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected. This must-read story will once again have readers falling for Brigid Kemmerer’s emotional storytelling.

I fell in love with Letters To The Lost by Brigid Kemmerer so I was super excited to discover that she was writing a second book set in that universe and this time Rev is one of the lead characters!

 Olivia Twist

Lorie Langdon; Blink

Publication Date: 6^th March 2018

​Olivia Brownlow is no damsel in distress. Born in a workhouse and raised as a boy among thieving London street gangs, she is as tough and cunning as they come. When she is taken in by her uncle after a caper gone wrong, her life goes from fighting and stealing on the streets to lavish dinners and soirees as a debutante in high society. But she can’t seem to escape her past … or forget the teeming slums where children just like her still scrabble to survive.

Jack MacCarron rose from his place in London’s East End to become the adopted “nephew” of a society matron. Little does society know that MacCarron is a false name for a boy once known among London gangs as the Artful Dodger, and that he and his “aunt” are robbing them blind every chance they get. When Jack encounters Olivia Brownlow in places he least expects, his curiosity is piqued. Why is a society girl helping a bunch of homeless orphan thieves? Even more intriguing, why does she remind him so much of someone he once knew? Jack finds himself wondering if going legit and risking it all might be worth it for love.

Olivia Twist is an innovative reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Oliver Twist, in which Olivia was forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she was rescued from the streets. Now eighteen, Olivia finds herself at a crossroads: revealed secrets threaten to destroy the “proper” life she has built for her herself, while newfound feelings for an arrogant young man she shouldn’t like could derail her carefully laid plans for the future.

Another thing I fell in love with in 2017 was a good reimagining of a well known tale so when I spotted a GoodReads giveaway for Olivia Twist I decided this was one I would need in my life!

 Truly, Wildly, Deeply

Jenny McLachlan; Bloomsbury

Publication Date: 8^th March 2018

Annie is starting college. She can’t wait. No more school, no more uniform, and no one telling her what to do. It’s the start of a new adventure and Annie’s not going to let anyone or anything get in the way of that. Freedom matters to Annie. She has cerebral palsy and she’s had to fight hard to get the world to see her for who she truly is.

Then she meets Fab. He’s six foot two, Polish and a passionate believer in…well, just about everything, but most of all Annie and good old fashioned romance. The moment Fab sees Annie, he’s wildly drawn to her and declares she must be his girl. Annie’s horrified. She doesn’t want to be anyone’s anything, especially if it means losing her independence.

But then Annie finds herself falling for Fab. As things go deeply wrong, Annie realises that love can make you do wild, crazy things, and so she sets out to win his heart with a romantic gesture of truly epic proportions!

Fans fell in love with the warmth, wit, romance and fierce friendships in Flirty Dancing, Love Bomb, Sunkissed and Star Struck. Jenny McLachlan writes the best kind of real-life fiction – with big themes and characters you’ll love, her books go straight to your heart.

I really enjoyed Stargazing For Beginners so I’m looking forward to Jenny’s next book

 Not If I Save You First

Ally Carter, Orchard Books

Publication Date: 27^th March 2018

Dear Logan,

 

Someday I’m going to write a book: How Not to Die in Alaska – A Girl’s Guide to Fashionable Survival.

I bet you don’t know that a hair pin can make an excellent fishing hook. You may think you can use just any kind of mud for mud masks, but trust me, you CAN’T! In a pinch, nothing starts a fire like nail polish remover. Alaska is tough. You might know this, if you ever replied to my letters.

After Maddie’s Secret Service dad takes a bullet for the president, he takes Maddie somewhere he thinks they’ll be safe – far away from the White House and the president’s son, Logan.

But when Logan comes to Alaska, so does the danger.

If there’s one thing Alaska has taught Maddie, it’s how to survive. And now her best friend’s life’s depends on it …

This looks like a fun read, so I’m hoping it balances contemporary and suspense like I’m hoping it will!

 Renegades

Marissa Meyer; Macmillan Children’s Books

Publication Date: 5^th April 2018

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

After Heartless I was determined to pick up some more of Marissa’s books, I’ve not got round to the Lunar Chronicles yet but I will be picking up this one, I love the cover too!

 Everywhere You Want To Be

Christina June; Blink

Publication Date: 1^st May 2018

From author Christina June comes Everywhere You Want to Be, a modern tale inspired by the classic Red Riding Hood.

Matilda Castillo has always done what she was told, but when she gets injured senior years, she watches her dreams of becoming a contemporary dancer slip away. So when Tilly gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the summer with a New York dance troupe, nothing can stop her from saying yes–not her mother, not her fears of the big city, and not the commitment she made to Georgetown. Tilly’s mother allows her to go on two conditions: one, Tilly will regularly visit her abuela in New Jersey, and two, after the summer, she’ll give up dancing and go off to college.

Armed with her red vintage sunglasses and her pros and cons lists, Tilly strikes out, determined to turn a summer job into a career. Along the way she meets new friends … and new enemies. Tilly isn’t the only one desperate to dance, and fellow troupe member Sabrina Wolfrik intends to succeed at any cost. But despite dodging sabotage and blackmail attempts from Sabrina, Tilly can’t help but fall in love with the city, especially since Paolo, a handsome musician from her past, is also calling New York home for the summer.

As the weeks wind down and the competition with Sabrina heats up, Tilly’s future is on the line. She must decide whether to follow her mother’s path to Georgetown or leap into the unknown to pursue her own dreams.

Another retelling, need I say anymore?

 My Box-Shaped Heart

Rachel Lucas; Macmillan Children’s Books

Publication Date: 17^th May 2018

My Box-Shaped Heart is a powerful story of an unlikely friendship from Rachael Lucas, author of The State of Grace.

Holly’s mum is a hoarder, and she is fed up with being picked on at school for being weird . . . and having the wrong clothes . . . and sticking out. All she wants is to be invisible. She loves swimming, because in the water everyone is the same.

Ed goes to the swimming pool to escape the horrible house he and his mum have been assigned by the women’s refuge. In his old life he had money; was on the swim team; knew who he was and what he wanted. In his old life his dad hit his mum.

Holly is swimming in one direction and Ed’s swimming in the other. As their worlds collide they find a window into each other’s lives – and learn how to meet in the middle.

I loved The State Of Grace this year so when I found the details about Rachael’s next book in the Macmillan catalogue I knew this had to go on the 2018 TBR

 City Of Bastards

Andrew Shvarts; Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: 5^th June 2018

Tilla, bastard of House Kent, has it made. Safe from her murderous father in the dazzling capital of Lightspire, she lives a life of luxury under the protection of the Volaris King, alongside her boyfriend Zell and best friend, Princess Lyriana.

So why isn’t she happy? Maybe it’s the whispers and stares that follow her wherever she goes, as the daughter of the traitor waging war against Lightspire. Or maybe it’s the memories of her beloved brother, Jax, who lies cold in his grave even as she tries to settle into a life in the city’s prestigious University.

Then, Tilla stumbles upon the body of a classmate, a friend. The authorities are quick to rule it a suicide and sweep it under the rug, but when Tilla herself is attacked by a mysterious man with terrifying powers, she’s convinced of a conspiracy. Her friends beg her to stay silent; what she’s suggesting is impossible… and treasonous.

But Tilla can’t, won’t, let it go. And the deeper she digs, the more questions she uncovers. How is the West beating the supposedly invincible Lightspire Mages in battle? Is it connected to the shadowy cult wreaking havoc in Lightspire? Nothing is as it seems in the glorious capital, and Tilla’s presence might just be the spark that sets the Kingdom aflame.

I’m holding my hands up and admitting I’ve not yet read Royal Bastards which is the first book in this series but I’ve been meaning to ever since Liv recommended it in one of her videos so I’m keen to read it before this next one is published in the summer.

 Wild Blue Wonder

Carlie Sorosiak; HarperTeen

Publication Date: 26^th June 2018

There are two monsters in this story. One of them is me.

Ask anyone in Winship, Maine, and they’ll tell you the summer camp Quinn’s family owns is a magical place. Paper wishes hang from the ceiling. Blueberries grow in the dead of winter. According to local legend, a sea monster even lurks off the coast. Mostly, there’s just a feeling that something extraordinary could happen there.

Like Quinn falling in love with her best friend, Dylan.

After the accident, the magic drained from Quinn’s life. Now Dylan is gone, the camp is a lonely place, and Quinn knows it’s her fault.

But the new boy in town, Alexander, doesn’t see her as the monster she believes herself to be. As Quinn lets herself open up again, she begins to understand the truth about love, loss, and monsters—real and imagined.

Here’s another author on the list because I loved her 2017 release. If this is half as good as If Birds Fly Back I’ve no doubt I’ll enjoy it.

 The Brink Of Darkness

Jeff Giles; Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Publication Date: 3^rd July 2018 (US publication date)

Things have changed for seventeen-year-old Zoe ever since the otherworldly events that brought her together with the mysterious bounty hunter she calls X. In order to save Zoe and her family, X has done the unthinkable – he’s given up his freedom and returned to captivity in the Lowlands.

X is determined to break the lords’ hold on him once and for all, but being stripped of his power pushes him toward a darkness he’s never experienced and a past he’s never known. The secrets that surface could be the key to reuniting X and Zoe… or they could mean the destruction of everything they have been fighting for.

This is the follow up to the Edge Of Everything which I really enjoyed last year, looking forward to catching up with X again.

It Ends With You

S.K. Wright; Atom

Publication Date: 6^th September 2018

A chilling modern thriller for fans of E. Lockhart, One of Us Is Lying and Making a Murderer, It Ends With You asks readers to play detective on a disturbing high school murder case that will confront and consume on every level. ‘If I’d told the truth, it would have been fiction.’

Everyone loves Eva. Beautiful, bright, fun, generous – she’s perfect. So when her dead body is found in a ditch in the local woods the only thing anyone wants to know is: who could have done this? It has to be Luke, her boyfriend. He has the motive, the means, the opportunity and he’s no stranger to the police. Everyone agrees he looks the part. The pieces fit. But the picture is incomplete and as time passes, stories change.

It starts with 6: 6 lies. 6 lives. It Ends With You.

There’s no cover or Goodreads page I can find for this one yet but I spotted it in the Little Brown catalogue. One Of Us Is Lying will be a big book to live up to by comparison but I loved it so I’m hoping It Ends With You is up there!

Bright Ruin

Vic James; Pan MacMillan

Publication Date: June 2018 (from Vic’s website)

In modern-day Britain, magic users control everything: wealth, politics, power—and you. If you’re not one of the ultimate one-percenters—the magical elite—you owe them ten years of service. Do those years when you’re old, and you’ll never get through them. Do them young, and you’ll never get over them.

This is the darkly decadent world of Gilded Cage. In its glittering milieu move the all-powerful Jardines and the everyday Hadleys. The families have only one thing in common: Each has three children. But their destinies entwine when one family enters the service of the other. They will all discover whether any magic is more powerful than the human spirit.

Have a quick ten years. . . .

There’s no cover or blurb for Bright Ruin that I can find yet, the above is for Gilded Cage the first in the trilogy. I’m not even sure on the publication date, I’ve seen at least 3 different dates online, from January, to June and then August. I do know that whenever it appears I will be ready for it! Gilded Cage was fantastic, Tarnished City was even better and I can’t wait to find out how the trilogy ends!

So that’s my run down of the YA titles I’m most looking forward to in 2018! Have I missed any? Which books are you excited to get your hands on? Let me know in the comments!