Hello everyone and welcome back to another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
Today’s topic is all about the books coming out this Spring (March 21st to June 21st) that I cannot wait to read. Obviously this is in no way an exhaustive list- there are so many amazing books coming out, it was really hard to narrow it down!
The Books
Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenridge
Libertie by Kaitlyn GreenidgePublished by Algonquin Books on March 30, 2021
Pages: 336
Goodreads
The critically acclaimed and Whiting Award–winning author of We Love You, Charlie Freeman returns with an unforgettable story about the meaning of freedom. Coming of age as a free-born Black girl in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn, Libertie Sampson was all too aware that her purposeful mother, a practicing physician, had a vision for their future together: Libertie would go to medical school and practice alongside her. But Libertie, drawn more to music than science, feels stifled by her mother’s choices and is hungry for something else—is there really only one way to have an autonomous life? And she is constantly reminded that, unlike her mother, who can pass, Libertie has skin that is too dark.
When a young man from Haiti proposes to Libertie and promises she will be his equal on the island, she accepts, only to discover that she is still subordinate to him and all men. As she tries to parse what freedom actually means for a Black woman, Libertie struggles with where she might find it—for herself and for generations to come. Inspired by the life of one of the first Black female doctors in the United States and rich with historical detail, Kaitlyn Greenidge’s new novel resonates in our times and is perfect for readers of Brit Bennett, Min Jin Lee, and Yaa Gyasi.
Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price
Pride and Premeditation (Jane Austen Murder Mystery, #1) by Tirzah PricePublished by HarperTeen on April 6, 2021
Pages: 368
Goodreads
Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit.
When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.
Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.
You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes
You Love Me (You, #3) by Caroline KepnesPublished by Random House on April 6, 2021
Pages: 400
Goodreads
Joe is done with the cities. He’s done with the muck and the posers, done with Love. Now, he’s saying hello to nature, to simple pleasures on a cozy island in the Pacific Northwest. For the first time in a long time, he can just breathe.
He gets a job at the local library—he does know a thing or two about books—and that’s where he meets her: Mary Kay DiMarco. Librarian. Joe won’t meddle, he will not obsess. He’ll win her the old-fashioned way... by providing a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand. Over time, they’ll both heal their wounds and begin their happily ever after in this sleepy town.
The trouble is... Mary Kay already has a life. She’s a mother. She’s a friend. She’s... busy.
True love can only triumph if both people are willing to make room for the real thing. Joe cleared his decks. He’s ready. And hopefully, with his encouragement and undying support, Mary Kay will do the right thing and make room for him.
The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris
The Cost of Knowing by Brittney MorrisPublished by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers on April 6, 2021
Pages: 336
Goodreads
Dear Martin meets They Both Die at the End in this gripping, evocative novel about a Black teen who has the power to see into the future, whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death, from the acclaimed author of SLAY.
Sixteen-year-old Alex Rufus is trying his best. He tries to be the best employee he can be at the local ice cream shop; the best boyfriend he can be to his amazing girlfriend, Talia; the best protector he can be over his little brother, Isaiah. But as much as Alex tries, he often comes up short.
It’s hard to for him to be present when every time he touches an object or person, Alex sees into its future. When he touches a scoop, he has a vision of him using it to scoop ice cream. When he touches his car, he sees it years from now, totaled and underwater. When he touches Talia, he sees them at the precipice of breaking up, and that terrifies him. Alex feels these visions are a curse, distracting him, making him anxious and unable to live an ordinary life.
And when Alex touches a photo that gives him a vision of his brother’s imminent death, everything changes.
With Alex now in a race against time, death, and circumstances, he and Isaiah must grapple with their past, their future, and what it means to be a young Black man in America in the present.
Near the Bone by Christina Henry
Near the Bone by Christina HenryPublished by Berkley Books on April 13, 2021
Pages: 336
Goodreads
A woman trapped on a mountain attempts to survive more than one kind of monster, in a dread-inducing horror novel from the national bestselling author Christina Henry.
Mattie can't remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they're not alone after all.
There's something in the woods that wasn't there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws.
When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry.
The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavski
The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy MoldavskyPublished by Henry Holt & Company on April 13, 2021
Pages: 352
Goodreads
New York Times –bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky delivers a deliciously twisty YA thriller that's Scream meets Karen McManus about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror.
New girl Rachel Chavez is eager to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. But as one of the few scholarship kids, Rachel struggles to fit in, and when she gets caught up in a prank gone awry, she ends up with more enemies than friends.
To her surprise, however, the prank attracts the attention of the Mary Shelley Club, a secret club of students with one objective: come up with the scariest prank to orchestrate real fear. But as the pranks escalate, the competition turns cutthroat and takes on a life of its own.
When the tables are turned and someone targets the club itself, Rachel must track down the real-life monster in their midst . . . even if it means finally confronting the dark secrets from her past.
Sorrowlands by River Solomon
Sorrowland by Rivers SolomonPublished by MCD on May 4, 2021
Pages: 368
Goodreads
Vern - seven months pregnant and desperate to escape the strict religious compound where she was raised - flees for the shelter of the woods. There, she gives birth to twins, and plans to raise them far from the influence of the outside world.
But even in the forest, Vern is a hunted woman. Forced to fight back against the community that refuses to let her go, she unleashes incredible brutality far beyond what a person should be capable of, her body wracked by inexplicable and uncanny changes.
To understand her metamorphosis and to protect her small family, Vern has to face the past, and more troublingly, the future - outside the woods. Finding the truth will mean uncovering the secrets of the compound she fled but also the violent history in America that produced it.
The Ones We’re Meant To Find by Joan He
The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan HePublished by Roaring Brook Press on May 4, 2021
Pages: 384
Goodreads
One of the most twisty, surprising, engaging page-turner YAs you’ll read this year—We Were Liars meets Black Mirror, with a dash of Studio Ghibli.
Cee awoke on an abandoned island three years ago. With no idea of how she was marooned, she only has a rickety house, an old android, and a single memory: she has a sister, and Cee needs to find her.
STEM prodigy Kasey wants escape from the science and home she once trusted. The eco-cities—Earth's last unpolluted place—are meant to be sanctuary for those committed to planetary protection, but they’re populated by people willing to do anything for refuge, even lie. Now, she'll have to decide if she’s ready to use science to help humanity, even though it failed the people who mattered most.
One of the most twisty, surprising, engaging page-turner YAs you’ll read this year—We Were Liars with sci-fi scope, Lost with a satisfying resolution.
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
The Soulmate Equation by Christina LaurenPublished by Gallery Books on May 18, 2021
Pages: 368
Goodreads
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. Raised by her grandparents--who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno--Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father's never been around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn't "father material" before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard...and lonely.
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. At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Pena. This is one number she can't wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Pena. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we'll pay you. Jess--who is barely making ends meet--is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the "Diamond" pairing that could make GeneticAlly a mint in stock prices, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist--and the science behind a soulmate--than she thought.
Funny, warm, and full of heart, The Soulmate Equation proves that the delicate balance between fate and choice can never be calculated.
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
The Maidens by Alex MichaelidesPublished by Celadon Books on June 15, 2021
Pages: 320
Goodreads
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements “Michaelides as a major player in the field” (Publishers Weekly).
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.
Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.
Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?
When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.
What About You?
What Spring books are you excited about? What do you think of my picks? Let me know in the comments!
Pride and Premeditation sounds so good. My TTT list
Pride and Premeditation is such an amazing and fun book (I received an eARC of it)!
I cannot wait for The Maidens! I loved The Silent Patient and immediately began anticipating more from this author.
I had no idea You was a series … what? lol I need to read it! Near the Bone sounds creeepy! I want to read that! Happy reading! 🙂
Libertie sounds like such a good read.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-on-my-spring-2021-tbr/
Great list! The Cost of Knowing sounds really interesting.
Pride and Premeditation sounds good! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
LIBERTIE is one I really want to read, too. I hope we both enjoy it!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I really want to read The Mary Shelley Club and Pride and Premeditation
-Lauren
Near the Bone sounds so good and creepy, I might have to check that one out!
Oh my goodness! This is such a great variety. Thank you for this list! My favorite read of spring so far has been “Girl with the Rose Tattoo” by Larry Weiss (https://street-fiction-writer.com/) I liked this book because it starts with a main character, Tina, that has been broken. She is young, somewhat naïve and attached to a biker who treats her like garbage. Although she is trying to better herself by getting her high school degree a little late in life her unsupportive partner continues to wreak havoc on her self-esteem and her goals. It’s not until she finds herself pregnant that she decides to make a decision for herself and keep the baby against his wishes. She is kicked out by her abusive boyfriend and finally has to do what’s right for herself. She crosses paths with a strong and BADASS girl named Jenny and their friendship helps her face her uncertain future. I highly recommend it. You’ll find yourself rooting for Tina right from the start. Hope you’ll give it a read. Thanks again
I will definitely have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!