Looking Ahead: 13 Books I Want To Read In 2013

There are a zillion new books coming out this year and making this list was a big pain in the butt, because a lot of them sound awesome. So here we go. Some of these are sequels and some are totally new, but all of these have my interest and will likely make it either onto my shelf or my kindle in the coming year.

First, the sequels...

Through The Ever Night
by Veronica Rossi

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

I absolutely loved Under the Never Sky, so it should come as no surprise that Through The Ever Night will be among the first books I purchase in 2013. I absolutely love the romance between Perry and Aria, the adventure and excitement of the world they inhabit and of course Roar's totally awesome personality. The last book left these people in quite a situation and I'm dying to see how it will unravel.

Prodigy

by Marie Lu

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." The choice June and Day face in this book makes me think of the song Won't Be Fooled Again by The Who. Will June be right about Anden? What will it mean if she is? I can't wait to find out! 

Unravel Me

by Tahereh Mafi

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

When I finished reading Shatter Me, only one thought remained in my head: Juliette can have Adam--I want Warner! The first book left a lot of questions: why can Adam touch Juliette? Does he have powers? And if there is a connection between these two things, and Warner can ALSO do this, does that mean he (gulp!) has some type of abilities, too? And what could those be? Okay, I'm going to stop. It's almost embarrassing how much I like the villain in this series. ;) 

The Goddess Inheritance

by Aimee Carter

Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

This series is nuts. Just getting that out there. :) That said, The Goddess Test was one of the biggest surprises I encountered last year. I had avoided the book, figuring I would hate it, to actually buy it on a whim and totally end up loving it. I still need to read Goddess Interrupted but I've got some time to do that, it's on my kindle and I'm looking forward to it anyway. How will Kate get out of this mess Cronos has set up? I must know! Henry cannot be killed! 

The Elite

by Kiera Cass

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Of all the sequels I'm looking forward to this year, The Elite is definitely at the top of my list. The Selection was my most anticipated book last year, it totally delivered and I chose it as my favorite book of 2012... So The Elite has some big shoes to fill. Will we get any closer to America deciding who she wants? Will one of the guys make a choice of his own? (Can we just say screw America, get me some kind of age reversal potion and put me with Maxom? Kidding!) ... I must know. :D April can't come fast enough. 

Clockwork Princess
by Cassandra Clare

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

I totally loved Clockwork Angel. I still need to read Clockwork Prince. But I figure that's no reason not to be excited for Clockwork Princess! It'll be great to see how everything comes together and is resolved. If Prince and Princess are as good as Angel, I've got some great stuff to read this year.

And now for some new books...

Premeditated
by Josin L. McQuein

A week ago, Dinah’s cousin Claire cut her wrists.

Five days ago, Dinah found Claire’s diary and discovered why.

Three days ago, Dinah stopped crying and came up with a plan.

Two days ago, she ditched her piercings and bleached the black dye from her hair.

Yesterday, knee socks and uniform plaid became a predator’s camouflage.

Today, she’ll find the boy who broke Claire.

By tomorrow, he’ll wish he were dead.

Okay, wow. Just wow. I've wanted to read this one for ages. It actually inspired the concept for my super villain novel because of the intensity of the blurb. (Long story.) If someone hurt one of my loved ones enough that they killed themself, I would want to do something about it and I have to know HOW Dinah is going to make the guy wish he was dead, WHAT he did to Claire and WHY.

Red
by Alison Cherry

Felicity St. John has it all—loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair.

Having red hair is all that matters in Scarletville. Redheads hold all the power—and everybody knows it. That’s why Felicity is scared down to her roots when she receives an anonymous note:

I know your secret.

Because Felicity is a big fake. Her hair color comes straight out of a bottle. And if anyone discovered the truth, she’d be a social outcast faster than she could say "strawberry blond." Her mother would disown her, her friends would shun her, and her boyfriend would dump her. And forget about winning that pageant crown and the prize money that comes with it—money that would allow her to fulfill her dream of going to art school.

Felicity isn’t about to let someone blackmail her life away. But just how far is she willing to go to protect her red cred?

This is just crazy enough that I can't resist. A town where red hair equals power? This seems like a mix between contemporary and some kooky rule that adds a hint of some kind of social dystopia. I have to know what will happen to Felicity and just what this book is actually about because it seems really different then anything else I've been reading about and because I'm a huge fan of red hair (*cough* Sarena *cough*) and was a 'fake' redhead during university. 

Poison

by Briget Zinn

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Wow, what an epic way to have something mess up! This whole premise seems super intense and is begging me to read the book. An attempted killer being hunted by her ex? An 'evil' princess someone thought was worth assassinating? A hero named Fred? (Can it be done? We shall see. I didn't think a guy named Joe could be cool until The Sky Is Everywhere...) Must read! 

The Summer I Became A Nerd
by Leah Rae Miller

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

I am a girl. I am a gamer geek. I am NOT a closet gamer. That said, I spent a large chunk of my youth wishing I was more "in" then I was, so watching a 'popular' girl geek out and have to deal with figuring out who she really is should be really fun to read. Besides, nerd / geek guys need love too and I love seeing them portrayed in fiction. 

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
April Genevieve Tucholke

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

The devil... potentially in love (a girl can hope and I'm just crazy enough to...)? I so have to be there to see this. Plus, who ever thought of naming a guy River? I think that's really cool (and kinda clever when you think of stuff like The River Styx in Greek myth, or the Lake of Fire in more traditional "hell" mythos.) These undertones and the fact that the word 'contemporary' is in here, too, makes me very intrigued. 

This Is What Happy Looks Like
by Jennifer E. Smith

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

I met my boyfriend online and we've been together for over 4.5 years now. So a book like this makes me smile. The added complications of a famous guy and a girl trying to avoid the media should only add to the interesting factor. Plus, I love the way that the bright yellow parts of the cover seem to be cutting away from all the whites and grays. 

The new book I'm most excited for in 2013 is... 

He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan of attack for everything, from landing the lead in her high school musical to dealing with her increasingly absent parents. But when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the opportunity to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Especially since Oliver--not blue-skinned, not bottle-dwelling, but a genie nonetheless--can see more than what she's willing to show him. With one peek into her mind, he can see the wishes that even Margo herself doesn't know she wants.

But Oliver comes with more than just mind-reading abilities, a flair for magic, and the prettiest eyes Margo's ever seen. Someone from his past is hunting him--someone bent on killing him, along with all the other genies in the world, for the sake of honor. And as Margo soon discovers, it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A book where a girl has to save a Genie? Sign me up! I had an idea for this kinda book years ago but never ended up writing it. I've got, like, 3 zillion other projects on the go so hopefully this book is super epic and does the concept justice. It looks really promising and I love the blurb and cover, so my fingers are crossed! 

So, what book are YOU most excited about in 2013? I'd love to know so feel free to leave a comment!