Preview of 2013

Happy New Year, everyone! Diana and I hope that all of you had a great start of the year and that it will treat you kindly. And, of course, that we will all discover great books this year. As a sort of attunement we have compiled a little preview of what we are looking forward to in the coming months.

Have you set yourself a challenge of how many books you want to read this year? And which titles are on your “definite read” list?

Diana’s picks:

The Nightmare Affair
– Mindee Arnett

I probably have said this before somewhere, but the idea of this book is totally new to me and I’m so excited about its realisation. The girl named Dusty is a Nightmare – personified, not metaphorical (I hope) – and she’s got to find a murderer in the dreams of a human boy and outside them. A murder mystery with an exceptional magical background and a love story – just the right combination for me. :) Expected publication: March 5th.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
– Neil Gaiman

By now I have read a bit of Gaiman’s work – including some of his comics – and I can say for certain that I never know what to expect of the books before reading. I read them nonetheless because I like the way Neil Gaiman creates his magical worlds, intertwining them with reality, and the way he tells his stories. This is exactly how I feel about The Ocean at the End of the Lane. The synopsis doesn’t tell me much, but I’m sure there’s magic somewhere and maybe one or three mystical creatures. That’s a good start. Expected publication: June 18th.


I read Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan in nearly one sitting and it was fabulous - until the end, which I just couldn’t get along with. So I wish for Untold, which doesn’t have a cover or a synopsis yet, to at least explain a bit of the ending and maybe start to mend what is broken. I have no certain idea in which direction the story might go now, but that makes it more exciting. Expected publication: August 29th.

Julika’s picks:

The Madness Underneath
– Maureen Johnson

The Name of the Star was one of my favourite books in 2011. Back then, the sequel was still announced for 2012. Then it got pushed to January, then February 2013 ... The Waiting Game is not one I enjoy, but I’m fairly certain that this one is worth waiting for. And now it is not too long. Barring unexpected circumstances, which you probably have to take into consideration ... seeing that it is Maureen Johnson. Expected publication: February 26th.

Clockwork Princess
– Cassandra Clare

This souldn’t come as a surprise for you. Both, Diana and I are waiting for this very much. (She got Untold for her list and I got this one for mine, fair sharing and all ;) .) As this is the last book in the series, I’m having mixed feelings about it. Theories that we have speculated about since book one are going to be proven or disproven and I’m sure that Cassie has quite a few surprises in store for us as well. Still, I don’t want to say goodbye to the Shadowhunters of Victorian London, even if we get to keep Magnus. Expected publication: March 19th.

The Eternity Cure
– Julie Kagawa

If there is one thing I’m a little put off about, it’s that the publisher changed the cover design of this series after the first book. Even if I understand the explanation why they did it ... and don’t get me wrong, I really like the new design. And after all, it’s still the content that counts. I’m very curious about the direction is sequel is going to take. I have a few theories and hopes, but I certainly don’t want to jinx them. Expected publication: April 23rd.