I can’t believe this is the final part of my Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2018! I had so much fun to dive into lists and lists of books from authors I never heard of and from others that already have a little place in my heart. I got to know so many new and exciting books that I can’t wait to read some very hyped and others that should have been. These final three months are full of mystery, thriller, suspense, crime, secrets, sci-fi, romance, ghosts, and travel. For sure, this “series” is going to continue next year although with a few changes. So for one last time, here are my most anticipated reads of 2018.

October

The Rule of One, Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders – publication date: October 1st

In the near future, a one-child policy is enforced, making it the rule of one. But the daughter of the head of the Texas Family Planning Division as a secret, she has an identical twin sister. They have both lived their lives by switching places with each other day after day until they got exposed, and now both have to fight for their lives. It’s not unusual to see this type of rule come up in dystopian novels – as it even happened in real life – although having a twin sister that is new for me – or I just never thought of it. I love a good dystopian society that can make me think about the choices they made to try creating a better place and why they didn’t work.

Broken Things, Lauren Oliver – publication date: October 2nd

Five years have passed since Summer was murdered in the woods and everyone thinks her two best friends, Mia and Brynn, killed her. The three girls were obsessed with a novel called The Way into Lovelorn and maybe because of it, they become deadly. Although they didn’t kill her and now is finally time to find out who did. I wasn’t exactly excited for this book as it seemed to me just another YA mystery thriller like many others. The synopsis didn’t captivate me enough to add it to my wishlist until I read an excerpt. Next thing I know, I’m on Book Depository website thinking about pre-ordering it. From what I read, the book grabbed me, and suddenly this wasn’t a typical YA mystery thriller anymore. I want to know everything about this three girls and I want it now.

Dry, Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman – publication date: October 2nd

In this dystopian world, water is precious. The drought has been going on for a while now until the taps run dry. Without any water, even the quiet suburbs spiral into desperation turning everyone against to each other. As Alyssa’s life and of her brother becomes threatened, she needs to take the matter into her own hands to survive. I’ve talked a bit about this book in my May Wrap-up when I first found it. At the time, I hadn’t realised this book wasn’t out yet, though my thoughts still stand.

Light Years, Kass Morgan – publication date: October 19th

After an attack by a mysterious enemy, the space academy starts to admit students from every planet in the solar system. Four cadets with completely different past and ambitions have to learn how to put their differences aside and become a team, although the danger may be closer to them then they think. I discover Kass Morgan was releasing another book waaaaay too late. I feel ashamed I had no clue this book was coming out especially after how much I enjoyed The 100. For starters, I’m really curious to read something from Kass that I don’t know anything about other than the synopsis, and secondly, I really enjoyed her writing style.

Honourable Mentions:

We Were Mothers, Katie Sise – publication date: October 1st
The Lies We Told, Camilla Way – publication date: October 9th
What If It’s Us, Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera – publication date: October 9th
The Little Shop of Found Things, Paula Brackston – publication date: October 16th
One Day in December, Josie Silver – publication date: October 16th

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November

Daughters of the Lake, Wendy Webb – publication date: November 1st

Kate has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to get her life together, only to discover the body of a murdered woman she has seen in her dreams. The Lake has been surrounded by mysteries kept unsolved over generations and Kate with the help of the drowned woman has to amend the wrongs of the past. Ghost stories are not exactly my cup of tea. I don’t believe in the paranormal although I don’t mind its use for storytelling purposes. If it takes dreams with a dead woman or a hunted lake to solve the mystery I can believe it’s possible for a few minutes.

The Stranger Diaries, Elly Griffiths – publication date: November 1st

Clare is a literature teacher specialised in a gothic writer sees her life and work collide tragically when one of her colleagues is found dead. The police think the murder is connected with the work of the gothic author and therefore someone Clare might know. A she grows more suspicious that someone she knows is behind the murder, Clare starts to write down her fears and suspicions in her journal, only to find out someone else was righting on it. The story sounds so creepy and mysterious I just want to read it straight away. Could it be that she is the murderer and has some kind of disturbed personality? Does she have a stalker that is writing in her journal? Can it be one of her students? With such a promising plot I can only hope it will live up to the expectations.

How She Died, How I Lived, Mary Crockett – publication date: November 13th

Five girls received a text message, and the only one that responded is dead. Over a year since the murder, all the other girls seem to have moved on but the narrator. She doesn’t understand why she got to live when the sweet Jamie had to die. Now she feels drawn to Jamie’s boyfriend but knows the relationship will always be haunted. After all, how can you live on thinking it could have been you? For some reason, we don’t get to know the name of the narrator. We know she is one of the five girls that received the text but her name is not revealed – hummmm interesting…

This Splintered Silence, Kayla Olson – publication date: November 13th

Lindley is the leader of a space station since the first generation was killed by a deadly virus. She is struggling to survive every day, learning how to keep the space station running, making sure they don’t run out of food. Until a member of the second generation dies with symptoms that look like the deadly virus. The disease was supposed to be over since the second generation was immune. So either the virus as mutated or one of them is a murderer. Lately, I’ve been gravitating towards sci-fi – get it? gravitating? uhn? – which is a genre that I enjoy but don’t read a lot. So anything that takes humans out of Earth and onto a space station to create a “new” community deserves to be in my TBR pile.

Honourable Mentions:

This Is What If Feels Like, Rebecca Barrow – publication date: November 6th
Mammoth, Jill Baguchinsky – publication date: November 8th
Until the Last Star Fades, Jacquelyn Middleton – publication date: November 8th
Four Three Two One, Courtney C. Stevens – publication date: November 13th

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December

Before We Were Strangers, Brenda Novak – publication date: December 4th

Five-years-old Sloane couldn’t sleep that night and hear her parents arguing again. Next morning, her mother was missing supposedly she left. At the age of 18, she leaves the small Texas town to be a model in NY, but she couldn’t keep the nightmares at bay and the fear that maybe his father could have something to do with her mother disappearance. Now she is back at her hometown to find out the truth, and it may destroy the rest of her family. Family drama is always very entertaining, and it can be thought-provoking as well, especially when exists dysfunctional relationships. If her father killed her mother, can she forgive him and/or brought him to justice? Or if her mother had just run off, can she forgive her for abandoning her?

For Better and Worse, Margot Hunt – publication date: December 11th

When Natalie and Will fell in love for each other, they joked about together being able to plan the perfect murder. After fifteen years of marriage, their young son’s principal was accused of molesting a student. But one day their son confesses being a victim too, and Natalie decides the predator must die. Could they actually plan the perfect crime? And will Will stay true to his vows and stay by Natalie side “for better and worse”?

This Lie Will Kill You, Chelsea Pitcher – publication date: December 11th

One year ago, someone died at a party. Five teens each played a part on it, and till now, none of them has told the truth. Tonight, those five survivors arrive at an isolated mansion to compete in a contest. But they release too late that each of them was lured there by a person who wants revenge and will not stop until uncovering what really happened that night. This book gives me a lot of And Then There Were None vibes. Five people in a remote mansion, none of them can leave, and one person is seeking revenge. What can go wrong?

My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life, Rachel Cohn – publication date: December 18th

Elle, on her sixteenth birthday, discovers that her long-lost father is actually a Japanese hotel mogul and wants her to come live with him. She flies off first class to Tokyo which seems a dream come true. In an effort to please her new family, she falls in a group of uber-cool international kids who spend money like it’s air. But then she starts to crush on a boy despised by her family and friends making her life situation more difficult. I don’t care if it’s YA. I don’t care if it’s a romance cliché kind-of book. I don’t care all the characters may be spoiled brats. The only thing I do care is Tokyo. And I don’t want just references to manga and anime – because that’s almost everything people think about Japan these days – I want to see culture, places, vibes, and what it’s like to experience Japan for the first time.

Honourable Mentions:

Rapid Falls, Amber Cowie – publication date: December 1st
Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful, Arwen Elys Dayton – publication date: December 4th
His Perfect Wife, Natasha Bell – publication date: December 4th

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