I’ve been stalking release announcements like it’s my job for 2019 because I have this terrible fear of missing out, and AM TIRED of being the last to know about things! 😂

2018 brought so many new author & book recommendations, especially since joining the bookish Instagram & Twitter communities back in August, and my bookshelves have been pushed to their limits so thoroughly that I’ve had to spend the last part of the year investing in new ones – which is the best sort of problem to have, in my opinion!

I’ve compiled a list of 10 books I’m really looking forward to reading next year, although I’m sure there are some I’ve just not heard about or left out. What are YOU looking forward to in 2019?

The list is in no particular order – I’m just as excited for the first on it as I am for the last! And I’ve included some cover art, plus a couple of bonuses because I’m extra and don’t like to follow the rules (even if they’re my own, apparently).

---

1) THE PANDORA ROOM by Christopher Golden

RELEASE:

April 23rd, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

In one ancient variation on the myth of Pandora’s Box, there were two jars, one for Pandora and one for her sister, Anesidora. One contained all the blessings of the gods, the other all the world’s curses. Now, in a subterranean city in Northern Iraq, archaeologist Sophie Durand has discovered a secret chamber covered in writing that confirms that version of the tale—a chamber which contains a single jar. “Weird shit” expert Ben Walker joins Sophie’s team just as the mystery deepens and grows ugly. Those who believe the myth want to know which jar has been found in the Pandora Room, the one containing blessings, or the one full of curses. Governments rush to lay claim, but jihadi forces aren’t waiting for the dust to settle. Whatever the jar contains, they want it, no matter who they have to kill…or what will emerge when they open it. For Sophie, Walker, and the others, the Pandora Room may soon become their tomb.

THOUGHTS:

This is apparently book 2 in the Ben Walker series, which starts out with ARARAT – a book I’m planning to buddy read with a friend on Instagram in January! I’ve really enjoyed everything I read so far from Christopher Golden this year and am looking forward to more of his stuff.

2) MIDDLEGAME by Seanan McGuire

RELEASE:

May 7th, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story.
Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math.
Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realize it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet.
Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own.
Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained.

THOUGHTS:

This is probably my most anticipated release for the year – as you can probably tell by the fact that it’s the only one I have an ARC of! Emailing the publishers for this was the first time I ever reached out directly to ask for a specific ARC and I’m so thankful that I did, because they sent it to me and it arrived on Christmas eve – how magical is that?! I love everything Seanan McGuire (alias writing name Mira Grant, aka my fav killer mermaid author!) writes, and can’t wait for her stuff this year.

3) GROWING THINGS AND OTHER STORIES by Paul Tremblay

RELEASE:

July 2nd, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

A chilling collection of psychological suspense and literary horror from the multiple award-winning author of the national bestseller The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts. A masterful anthology featuring nineteen pieces of short fiction, Growing Things is an exciting glimpse into Paul Tremblay’s fantastically fertile imagination.

THOUGHTS:

Paul Tremblay is an author I discovered in early 2017 when I read A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS on vacation (and it kept me in my hotel room until I finished because I was so into the story!). When I went on vacation this last September, I scoured bookstores for things to bring home with me, and managed to grab 3 of his books with beautifully similar UK covers – and now they’re some of my fav books in my collection! He’s such a good writer and I’m thrilled to read this horror short story collection because lil scary stories are my fav!

4) LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager

RELEASE:

July 2nd, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

THOUGHTS:

I read Riley’s FINAL GIRLS in 2017 and loved it, so naturally when he released THE LAST TIME I LIED, I scooped it up from BotM. I love the similarities in cover design between the three, and this one sounds so mysterious and spooky! Really looking forward to it.

5) REMAINS by Andrew Cull

RELEASE:

2019

SYNOPSIS:

How far would you go? What horrors would you endure if it meant you might see the son you thought you’d lost forever?

A terrifying study of grief, reminiscent of genre classics Dark Water and Don’t Look Now, Andrew Cull’s stunning debut novel Remains manages to be at turns haunting, harrowing and filled with compassion. Horror with a heart that delivers on every level.

THOUGHTS:

I’m kind of lowkey obsessed with anything Andrew Cull writes/records/directs/does ever. I’ve read his short story collection BONES three times (I like things that make me sad and he does sad horror so well!!! – I’ll have a review soon here so keep an eye out), and I’m already anticipating that REMAINS will be one of my 5 star reads of 2019. I couldn’t find an official cover shot on the internet (or a more specific release date), but you can guarantee this will be one I won’t miss – and you shouldn’t either!

6) IN AN ABSENT DREAM by Seanan McGuire

RELEASE:

January 8th, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

This is the story of a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should.

When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she’s found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well.

For anyone . . .

THOUGHTS:

Remember that bit above about me loving Seanan McGuire a lot? It applies to this as well, maybe even moreso in some ways than MIDDLEGAME because this is Book 4 in the Wayward Children series. I recommend this series to everyone because it’s SO good – each book is only around 200 pages, and it tells such incredible stories about doorways that children use to escape to other worlds. It blends sci-fi, fantasy, and even horror, together so seamlessly, and although it’s marketed as “YOUNG ADULT”, it feels more magical than anything. DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES (Book 2) is my favorite – it’s about twins who live in a horror land where paranormal things exist, and it’s so wonderful. If you’ve never heard of this series, please check it out!

7) SLAYER by Kiersten White

RELEASE:

January 8th, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.
Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.
Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.
As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…
But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.
One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

THOUGHTS:

As if my huge memorabilia collection and the tattoo taking up half of my right arm wasn’t enough to convince you of my deep, deep adoration of the Buffy series, then I don’t know what else can. If it’s Buffy related, you can have my money – I will gladly throw it at you. I’ve heard some mixed things about this, but I’m still excited to read it and will definitely grab it around its release.

8) THE DARKEST LULLABY by Jonathan Janz

RELEASE:

August 8th, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

The old house waited. For years there had been rumors that the owner, Lilith Martin, had been part of an unholy cult. People spoke of blasphemous rituals, black rites filled with blood, sex…and sacrifices. Then Lilith died and the house sat empty. Until now. Lilith’s nephew, Chris, and his wife, Ellie, are moving in. Ellie isn’t happy about living in such a dark, foreboding place, but she wants to get pregnant and this house has a lot more room to raise a baby than their apartment. Unfortunately, she and Chris will soon learn that Lilith has other plans.

THOUGHTS:

I read Janz’s THE SIREN AND THE SPECTER and THE SORROWS both this year, and enjoyed them both. He’s got a bunch of stuff coming out in 2019 that’s being re-released by Flame Tree Press (one of my fav publishers, check them out!), and pretty much all of them are on my TBR already. I’ve been lucky enough to have been offered ARCs of both WOLF LAND (out March 2019) and THE DARK GAME (out April 2019), so I’ll be reading those as soon as they arrive in the new year – along with the next one on this list!

9) WILL HAUNT YOU by Brian Kirk

RELEASE:

March 14, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

You don’t read the book. It reads you.

Rumors of a deadly book have been floating around the dark corners of the deep web. A disturbing tale about a mysterious figure who preys on those who read the book and subjects them to a world of personalized terror. Jesse Wheeler―former guitarist of the heavy metal group The Rising Dead―was quick to discount the ominous folklore associated with the book. It takes more than some urban legend to frighten him. Hell, reality is scary enough. Seven years ago his greatest responsibility was the nightly guitar solo. Then one night when Jesse was blackout drunk, he accidentally injured his son, leaving him permanently disabled. Dreams of being a rock star died when he destroyed his son’s future. Now he cuts radio jingles and fights to stay clean. But Jesse is wrong. 

The legend is real―and tonight he will become the protagonist in an elaborate scheme specifically tailored to prey on his fears and resurrect the ghosts from his past. Jesse is not the only one in danger, however. 

By reading the book, you have volunteered to participate in the author’s deadly game, with every page drawing you closer to your own personalized nightmare. 

The real horror doesn’t begin until you reach the end. That’s when the evil comes for you.

THOUGHTS:

This is another one being sent over by Flame Tree Press that I am really looking forward to in the new year! I haven’t read anything else by the author before this, but the premise sounds so bananas – I love book-within-book stories and this one seems like it’ll be super creepy.

10) INSPECTION by Josh Malerman

RELEASE:

April 23rd, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

Boys are being trained at one school for geniuses, girls at another. Neither knows the other exists—until now. The innovative author of Bird Box invites you into a world of secrets and horror in this tantalizing thriller.

J is a student at a school deep in a forest far away from the rest of the world.

J is one of only twenty-six students, all of whom think of the school’s enigmatic founder as their father. J’s peers are the only family he has ever had. The students are being trained to be prodigies of art, science, and athletics, and their life at the school is all they know—and all they are allowed to know.

But J suspects that there is something out there, beyond the pines, that the founder does not want him to see, and he’s beginning to ask questions. What is the real purpose of this place? Why can the students never leave? And what secrets is their father hiding from them?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, in a school very much like J’s, a girl named K is asking the same questions. J has never seen a girl, and K has never seen a boy. As K and J work to investigate the secrets of their two strange schools, they come to discover something even more mysterious: each other.

THOUGHTS:

Josh Malerman has been getting a lot of deserved credit now that BIRD BOX has been made into a Netflix film, and I’m glad he’s had the time to work on anything new while that’s all been going on! I spotted an ARC of this on my friend Sadie’s Instagram, and immediately added it to my TBR – while it sounds a bit different from his other books, it sounds rad!

---

⭐ BONUSES! ⭐

---

⭐) TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET by Karen M. McManus

RELEASE:

January 8th, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery’s never been there, but she’s heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone has declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

THOUGHTS:

YA thrillers & horror hold a special place in my heart, and while I had some issues with Karen’s previous book, ONE OF US IS LYING, it was overall a pretty fun and fast-paced read. I’m hoping for more of the same from this one!

⭐) THE MIGRATION by Helen Marshall

 

RELEASE:

March 5th, 2019

SYNOPSIS:

When I was younger I didn’t know a thing about death. I thought it meant stillness, a body gone limp. A marionette with its strings cut. Death was like a long vacation–a going away. Not this.

Storms and flooding are worsening around the world, and a mysterious immune disorder has begun to afflict the young. Sophie Perella is about to begin her senior year of high school in Toronto when her little sister, Kira, is diagnosed. Their parents’ marriage falters under the strain, and Sophie’s mother takes the girls to Oxford, England, to live with their Aunt Irene. An Oxford University professor and historical epidemiologist obsessed with relics of the Black Death, Irene works with a Centre that specializes in treating people with the illness. She is a friend to Sophie, and offers a window into a strange and ancient history of human plague and recovery. Sophie just wants to understand what’s happening now; but as mortality rates climb, and reports emerge of bodily tremors in the deceased, it becomes clear there is nothing normal about this condition–and that the dead aren’t staying dead. When Kira succumbs, Sophie faces an unimaginable choice: let go of the sister she knows, or take action to embrace something terrifying and new. 

Tender and chilling, unsettling and hopeful, The Migration is a story of a young woman’s dawning awareness of mortality and the power of the human heart to thrive in cataclysmic circumstances.

THOUGHTS:

I don’t have any experience with this author but the cover grabbed my attention, and the description made me add this to my Amazon wishlist so I can grab it when it’s out!

---

So many good things coming out in 2019!! If I missed anything, tell me about it so I don’t miss out! Help your fellow booklover! 😂