Hello!!

I’ve been using pre-ordering books as a scapegoat for ‘not buying books’ for a year or two now, but I do find having the little ‘surprise’ packages scratches the itch of book shopping for me and it’s the easiest way for me to gauge which books I’m most excited about!

So far, I’ve got six books that I’ve preordered for release in 2025 and two that I’m keeping an eye out for special editions that Waterstones may or may not be releasing. There will absolutely be more books that are announced that I will want to pre-order – I imagine Richard Osman will release another new book around September time, Hannah Grace may announce another Maple Hills instalment (or a new series?) and who knows what other new authors and series I may discover!

But these are the currently announced books that I have either pre-ordered or are on my radar! (in order of when they’re released)

Onyx Storm (Empyrean #3) – Rebecca Yarros January 21st

In compiling this list I’ve realised there’s a lot of third books in a series coming out! I really enjoyed Fourth Wing and the ending of Iron Flame was pretty intense, and I’m really looking forward to starting my 2025 reading by rereading the first two books before Onyx Storm comes out.

I know this series is quite divisive – a lot of hardcore fantasy fans don’t think it’s a particularly groundbreaking fantasy but it’s been a great entry level fantasy romance for many who haven’t read a lot from the genre. I wouldn’t say I fall particularly into either camp – I love fantasy, but I don’t think this is the worst I’ve ever read but I don’t know if it’s entirely deserving of the hype it got. It was fun, I thought it was very immersive but it gave me the same feeling as an easy-cheesy contemporary romance but long and with dragons.

I’m just hoping I can read this fast enough that my husband doesn’t get too far ahead and spoil it with how over excited he gets!

Spiral (Off The Ice #2) – Bal Khabra January 28th

This one is a bit rogue for me – I’ve not read the first book in this series ‘Collide’, but this one’s about a ballerina and as someone who’s danced for 25 years and loves stories about dancers so I pre-ordered it on my Kindle and I don’t particularly have any regrets. It doesn’t feel real because I haven’t ordered a physical copy and the ebook is cheaper than the physical book so, book girl maths makes it free, right?

I’m under the impression that this is a series of interconnected standalones, but now I’m starting to doubt myself! I wouldn’t mind reading ‘Collide’, but it’s not top of my list so I’m hoping this will make sense without reading book 1, but I’m so excited to read a contemporary romance about a dancer.

Deep End – Ali Hazelwood February 4th

Honestly, as soon as Ali Hazelwood announces a new book I will pre-order it because I have enjoyed everything I’ve read from this author. But then to find out it’s a college sports romance about swimmers? I’m currently listening to Ali Hazelwood’s Spotify exclusive audio novella ‘Two Can Play’ and it’s really captured me – I love her style, I love her characters and I love a man obsessed. Her character’s are all very similar and the plots are pretty much the same but I like that! I know what I’m probably going to get and I know I’m probably going to love it so this was another immediate pre-order.

Oathbound (Legendborn #3) – Tracey Deonn March 4th

This one is more difficult to explain because I rated the first books in The Legendborn Cycle 3 stars, so it perhaps seems unusual to put a 3 star series on a ‘most anticipated’ list, but I am excited to see where this series goes. I love Arthurian legend (shoutout to all my fellow BBC Merlin fans) and I really like the concept of this series, but I have always thought that there are too many characters to keep track of and several magic systems and I can barely comprehend it all.

Considering it’s a YA series, I imagine that says more about my comprehension ability than anything else, but this series has sucked me in with that weird mix that means I’m interested in what happens in the plot but I don’t particularly like the main character and I can’t remember who all the names are. I should probably do a reread of Legendborn and Bloodmarked but I might find a summary video on YouTube to try and remind myself of the details.

Tea You At The Altar (Tomes and Tea #3) – Rebecca Thorne March 20th

Another book 3! I very recently finished reading ‘Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea’ and ‘A Pirate’s Life For Tea’ and I have the Waterstones special editions of those so I obviously had to order the matching edition of the third book! This is another series that I”m not desperate to read from a plot perspective, but I’d vaguely like to check in on the characters.

I think the green is beautiful and I’m actually quite excited about a wedding in a cosy fantasy book! I recently read ‘Legends and Lattes’ by Travis Baldree and I think it’s made me appreciate the cosy fantasy genre even more so if you have any recommendations please do let me know!

Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry April 22nd

Another auto-buy author for me is Emily Henry, even though until this year I’d only read one of her books. I’ve now read three of her five contemporary romance releases (though I’m intrigued about some previous sci-fi releases? Further research required!) and I do intend to be fully caught up, and this will be part of my mission to have read Emily Henry’s entire backlist!

I know literally nothing about this book and I’m honestly happy to keep it that way because in Emily Henry I trust.

A Curse Carved in Bone (Saga of the Unfated #2) – Danielle L Jensen May 13th

Now this one I probably shouldn’t have pre-ordered because whilst I own ‘A Fate Inked In Blood’ I haven’t read it yet. I bought it almost entirely because the Waterstones special edition is stunning and I was caught with the same issue for this one too. I have no shame – it is beautiful.

I don’t think it’s a duology so I don’t particularly need to be starting another new series, but at least with this one it’s an ongoing series so once I read these two I’ll be up to date!

Not Quite Dead Yet – Holly Jackson July 17th

Last but by no means least (it’s just the book that’s releasing the furthest in the future) – Holly Jackson is another auto-buy author for me and I think that’s been proven by the fact that there isn’t even a cover yet. Granted, I haven’t actually pre-ordered it yet because I’m waiting to see what the special editions look like.

As an auto-buy author, I have absolutely no idea what this book is about but I will absolutely be pre-ordering it and reading it as soon as it comes out. I adored ‘The Reappearance of Rachel Price’ and I’m absolutely stoked to read anything by Holly Jackson.

And there are the 8 books that I’m most excited about/already aware of coming out next year! I have no doubt that there will be even more new releases that I want to buy, second hand books that I can’t resist bringing home and indie bookshops I really want to support, but I’m very determined that I don’t want to make my TBR any longer next year so I’m really trying to resist buying new books!

If you have any tips or ideas, please do let me know – I need all the help I can get!

Thank you for reading,

Sophie xx