2024 book releases I can’t wait to read!
New Year New Books! My tbr stack (mountain) is crying as I type this! I’m so excited for this year! 2024 already is shaping up to be a pretty good book year based on the books I’ve seen that are being released! From authors I discovered for the first time in 2023, to authors whose books I haven’t read yet, to a couple of authors that for me never miss! These books are not listed in order of how excited I am for them, I just randomly added them to a list on my phone as I found out about them.
The books you’ll find below are just the new releases I’m aware of, I tend to live under a rock 92% of the time (it literally only occurred to me recently that I can follow authors I love on socials to stay updated on new releases). So there are probably a ton of really great books being released this year that I most are from authors that I’ve read before but there are also a couple of new authors sprinkled in that I’m excited to try! If you have any author/book recommendations I’m all ears!
Let me know if any other these books are on your list for 2024!
Release Date: January 30,2024
Genre: Adult Fantasy/Romantasy
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas. This is the third book in the Crescent City series. I have been waiting for this book for like two years! The second book in this series, House of Sky and Breath was released in February of 2022! We were left on a MAJOR cliff hanger at the end of House of Sky and Breath. In my opinion we were left on two, one devastating cliffhanger and one OMG WHAT cliffhanger but that’s just me, I think most people would combine them into one.
I preordered the physical copy of this book before I had a trip planned to fly to see one of my best friends on literally the day this book is released and I don’t want to lug a massive book around airports so also ended up preordering the kindle edition because I HAVE to know what happens! I will be OFF social media until I’ve finished House of Flame and Shadow so that I don’t accidentally run into any spoilers. I’m pretty confident in my abilities to avoid spoilers since I was able to avoid Era’s Tour spoilers until my show date but I’m not taking any chances! I did hear that the entire book was leaked on the internet so I am a little more worried about spoilers than I was before but I’m still hopeful!
Release Date: February 20, 2024
Genre: Adult Thriller/Mystery
A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian. I read my first book by Vera Kurian, Never Saw Me Coming, this past year in 2023 and I LOVED it! I found out after I read this book that not only is Vera Kurian a great writer but she also has a degree in psychology. I feel like that really comes across in the way she writes. I’m sure we’ve all read books with some sort of psychology aspect as a major part of the plot and it just kind of falls flat. That was not the case with Never Saw Me Coming, I go into more detail on this book in the Thriller/Mystery section of The Nooks Books.
A Step Past Darkness follows a group of six high school students who witness a terrifying crime that changes the course of their lives. An unlikely group Maddy, Kelly, James, Casey, Padma, and Jia start their own investigation into what happened that night, and when things get dicey though they decide to make a vow of silence, hide all the evidence, and agree to never contact each other again. Solid plan. 20 years later after Maddy is killed they all have to return to finally get answers.
I’m kind of getting Stephen King It vibes (even though I was traumatized by those movies when I was like six). The town it’s set in, Wesley Falls, seems like one of those cookie cutter on the surface towns that’s hiding something rotten right beneath. I’m SO ready to be able to read this book! A Step Past Darkness sounds like one of those books where I’m going to stay up way to late reading and then be paranoid a killer is breaking into my house.
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Genre: Adult Historical Paranormal
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden. The only other book by this author that I’ve read so far is The Bear and the Nightingale, which is listed on my top books of 2023 post which should be the post right after this one if you want to read it! TLDR, I loved The Bear and the Nightingale and I’m looking forward to reading the other two books in the Winternight Trilogy (the series is complete I’m just slacking).
When I saw she was releasing a historical fiction meets paranormal book I was beyond intrigued! Following Laura Iven and her brother Freddie. Laura, a combat nurse, was wounded and discharged from the military. After returning to Canada and leaving her brother on the battlefield, Laura receives word that Freddie has been killed in combat. However, something doesn’t feel right and she begins her search to uncover the truth.
For me both historical fiction books and paranormal books are either hit or miss. When they hit though, boy do they hit and I obsess over them for months. I’m pretty confident based on Katherine Arden’s writing style and how much I liked The Bear and The Nightingale that I’ll also enjoy The Warm Hands of Ghosts!
Release Date: July 16, 2024
Genre: Adult Historical Fantasy
The Bright Sword- Lev Grossman. I have been meaning to read several of his books for a hottt minute now. It’s fine though I’m sure I’ll get to them eventually, maybe even this year! However, I stumbled upon this upcoming release on a Goodreads list for books coming out in 2024 I think! When I found out it was a reimagining of King Arthur, I immediately added it to my list. While I am an Arthurian legend girlie, I haven’t read an Arthurian based book in a while so that makes me even more excited for this one!
While I would and did classify this as a reimagining or retelling of King Arthur it actually takes place after Arthurs death. The characters the book follows also aren’t the usual cast that I would expect to see in a book like this!
The story follows Collum, a young knight, who wants to compete for a spot at the round table. He arrives too late though, after the death of King Arthur. Collum is joined by some of the lesser know knights of the round table. Described as the oddballs in the books description they include: Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Arthurs fool, Sir Dagonet. Assisted by Nimue (Merlins former apprentice who later turned on him) they aim to work together to rebuild Camelot, lost in an unbalanced world. It won’t be easy though! This group of wanna be heroes is surrounded by opposition, such as Morgan le Fay, Arthurs half sister leading the fairies, monsters, and old gods who want to return, and the rival factions that are supporting Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. Add in warlords laying siege on Camelot and Collom and his companions have their work cut out for them! Will they be able to find Excalibur, save Camelot and uncover the truth to why a revered King like Arthur fell?
I can’t wait to find out! I would have read this regardless because its a King Arthur retelling but I’m genuinely excited for a fresh take on the Arturian stories I have come to know and love. July can not come fast enough, I need this book now!
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Genre- Adult Romance
Funny Story by Emily Henry. I’ve only read one other Emily Henry book so far, Book Lovers, and I loved it! I personally think she does a great job of telling an engaging love story!
Funny Story follows Daphne right after her fiancé, Peter, leaves her for his childhood best friend, Petra…after Daphne moved to Peter’s hometown. This is enough to make me want to read this book but its gets better! After Daphne starts her dream job of being a children’s librarian (jealous), she suggests the idea of becoming roommates with someone in a surprisingly similar situation to her, Petra’s ex Miles.
If that wasn’t enough to get you reading theres also the fake dating trope, which is also one of my personal favorites. This seems like the perfect, messy, awkward, absolutly can’t wait for them to realize they have feelings and kiss, kind of romance that I can’t get enough of!
Release Date: February 20, 2024
Genre: Adult Horror/Thriller
Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa. This will be my first book by this author! She’s got a couple of other books that also sound amazing that I’m excited to read at some point! Honestly this would be a book I would pick up and read based on vibes alone and after reading the description I’m even more excited for this book to come out!
Set in Sri Lanka and inspired by local folklore, Amara, daughter of the village Capuwa (demon-priest) is used to spending most of her time primarily alone, due to the growing distrust the other villagers now have in her fathers once respected craft. This is influenced by British Colonizers coming in and bring new religious practices to the village. When a presumably supernatural force in the nearby jungle starts attacking men, Amaras father is accused, when he normally would been asked to help. Amara must take on the task of clearing her fathers name and discovering what is happening in the jungle. Haunted by dreams that seem to predict something sinister happening on the island, she can’t shake the feeling that its all connected to the night she heard her mother cry out: No one can find out what happened!, while Amara was recovering from a mysterious illness.
Honestly I think this book is going to keep me up at night! I also think I’m going to stay up reading it and be terrified to go to sleep. I can’t wait! I have a feeling Amanda Jayatissa is going to be one of my new favorite authors!
Release Date: June 18, 2024
Genre: Adult Thriller
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager, I think I’ve read a total of three books by Riley Sager at this point. The only one that I didn’t love was The House Across the Lake. I loved it until the very end when he added in some paranormal elements that I think just didn’t hit with me and I thought felt a little random and out of place. I still liked the book overall, it just wasn’t my favorite. I still have several of his books on my TBR that I’m very excited to read!
That being said one of the books on my TBR that I’m excited to read is coming out in June! Middle Of The Night follows Ethan Marsh returning to his childhood home thirty years after his best friend Billy went missing, from a tent in Ethan’s back yard while they were sleeping. When Ethan returns he begins to notice strange things happening in his neighborhood, someone roaming the neighborhood at strange hours, and reminders of Billy showing up in Ethan’s backyard. Thus, as anyone in the same situation would do, Ethan launches an investigation into what really happened the night Billy went missing, and ventures into the woods that Billy always said housed monsters and a strange institutes that does research on a deteriorating estate.
I have a lot of thoughts in my head on where I think the plot of Middle Of The Night may go based on other Riley Sager books I’ve read. The majority will make this an amazing read and I’m excited to find out which way it will go!
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Genre: Adult Romance
Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey. I have read so many Tessa Bailey books and they’re all a fun time. Filled with playful banter and spicy scenes, they’re exactly what you would expect with what I lovingly refer to as rom-com romances and I can’t get enough of them!
Fangirl Down follows Wells Whitaker and Josephine Doyle. Wells is a promising golf star who has had a recent string of breaking clubs and killer hangovers. This leaves him with only one fan, Josephine. Josephine has always believed in Wells, even when no one else did, Wells quitting did have her questioning this. However, when he shows up at her door with the proposition of Josephine becoming his new golf caddy to help him turn things around she jumps at the opportunity! Spending days on the road together, in hotels… I think we all know what happens after that!
I’m really excited for this one! The sports player/musician/actor falling in love with the fangirl is something I quite literally can not get enough of! Was anyone else a fan whose not like the others catches the eye of the hot actor/musician/sports player Y/N fan fiction girlie…or was that just me? Anyway I’m sure I’ll absolutly devour this one! I may do this as an audiobook, I almost always have credits that I need to use because I forget about them!
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Genre: Adult Mystery/Thriller
How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin. I think this is Kristen Perrin’s first book! Based on what I saw on StoryGraph anyway! I saw this on a list of new releases for 2024, the blurb said “for fans of Knives out and The Thursday Murder Club” and I KNEW this was one I had to read! I love Knives Out! My brother is a big fan of The Thursday Murder Club (on my TBR) and his recommendations rarely miss for me so I’m anticipating How To Solve Your Own Murder being a hit.
Starting out in 1965 we follow Frances, 17 at the time, who, after a fortune teller predicts it, spends her life obsessively trying to prevent her own murder, and solve the mystery of her best friends disappearance. The disappearance occurred just one year after Frances’s death is predicted.
60 years later the fortune tellers prediction unfortunately comes true and Frances is murdered, after mysteriously summoning her great-niece Annie to her home. Annie soon finds Frances’s diary from 1965, and reopens her great-aunts investigations of Frances’s own murder and Emily’s disappearance. Will Annie solve the mystery or become a victim herself?
I was hooked just from the title of the book alone tbh, but after reading the description I have a very strong feeling I am going to LOVE this book!
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Genre: Adult Historical Fantasy
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid. I’ve read one other book by Ava Reid, The Wolf and the Woodsman, which I LOVED! I actually just finished that book a few days ago and immediately started looking for other books by Ava Reid, she’s got two others that I think look really good that I’m going to try to read this year as well!
There’s not a lot out yet about this book, from what I can gather based on the short blurbs on Goodreads and Storygraph this is a retelling of essentially Macbeth but following Lady Macbeth who is considered one of Shakespeare’s most famous villainess. It’s been a MINUTE since I read Macbeth, like probably 16 years. It sounds like this book is exploring and reimagining female character written by a man, without much of a voice or backstory. I love books like this honestly, they usually end up becoming some of my favorite books.
This is kind of all I was able to find out about this book. I didn’t really look that hard because I didn’t want to risk spoilers! For most of these I just went by what I found on Goodreads and Storygraph because I know how to avoid spoilers on those sites. I’m really interested to see where Ava Reid takes this story, especially with how much I loved The Wolf And The Woodsman!
I’ve just realized that four of these books are all set to be released in February! Also around the same time! I guess we all know what I’m reading in February! If you made it this far thanks for sticking around and reading about the books I’m excited about that are coming out this year!
I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions this year, but I do have a few book goals that I’m hoping to meet!
I want to try to read a more diverse variety of genre’s and authors and break out of some of my book comfort zones. If you can’t tell I tend to stick to the fantasy, mystery/thriller, and romance genres! Along the same train of thought, I’m also trying to get better about reading the back of books before purchasing/reading. I tend to go by vibes alone and maybe the briefest skim of the back. I’m especially bad about this with authors I’ve been a fan of for awhile. While there’s nothing wrong with going off vibes, I think this will also help me break out of my comfort zone with authors and genres!
One of my other book goals was starting this blog! More specifically not being afraid or intimidated of putting my opinions or thoughts about books out into the world!
Happy Reading!