Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of 2021 // Top Ten Tuesday

Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of 2021 // Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s prompt is ‘Most anticipated books of the second half of 2021‘!

Top Ten Tuesday banner

I hardly end up reading new releases (unless I am lucky enough to get an ARC!) but I derive great pleasure from adding anticipated releases to my Goodreads. Luckily I had maybe 15 or 20 new releases of the latter half of 2021 on my TBR, so making this list was not as hard as I thought it would be!

July releases

July 6th – Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

Six Crimson Cranes book cover
  • First book in a YA fantasy series
  • East Asian retelling of the Grimms fairy tale The Six Swans
  • Arranged marriage trope
  • Dragons, curses, quests, and talking paper cranes!

July 13th – The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

The Taking of Jake Livingston book cover
  • YA horror standalone
  • Get Out vibes
  • Only Black student at a private school – plus he is gay and can see ghosts!
  • Killer ghost let loose

August releases

Aug 3rd – The Desert Prince by Peter V. Brett

The Desert Prince book cover
  • Epic fantasy standalone
  • Featuring the next generation of the heroes of The Demon Cycle series
  • Demons out for revenge

Aug 31st – In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu

In The Watchful City book cover
  • Asian-inspired and Asian-influenced sci-fi fantasy novella
  • Follows Anima, a extrasensory non-binary human
  • Queer rep plus use of neopronouns

September releases

Sept 7th – The Shaadi Set-Up by Lillie Vale

The Shaadi Set-Up book cover
  • Author’s adult romantic comedy debut
  • Exes to lovers & forced proximity tropes
  • An Indian-American main character
  • Featuring a Desi matchmaking site!

Sept 28th – Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat

Dark Rise book cover
  • First book in a YA fantasy series
  • LGBTQ+ characters
  • A dock boy destined to the Stewards (AKA protectors of humanity)
  • A classic light versus dark battle

October releases

Oct 12th – Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan

Jade Fire Gold book cover
  • Author’s debut novel!
  • East Asian-inspired Avatar: The Last Airbender-esque fantasy
  • POC cast plus lesbian rep
  • Outcast with revenge quest teams up with exiled prince

Oct 19th – A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout

A Shadow In the Ember book cover
  • First book in an adult, high fantasy series
  • Prequel/companion series to the Blood and Ash series
  • “Loosely inspired on Hades and Persephone myth…without the kidnapping and stuff.”
  • Gods, dragons and more!

November releases

Nov 9th – All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

All Of Us Villains book cover
  • A co-writing debut
  • First book in a YA fantasy series
  • An ancient curse leading to a Hunger Games-style tournament
  • Seven families competing for their city’s “high magick supply”

December releases

Dec 7th – No Beauties or Monsters by Tara Goedjen

No Beauties Or Monsters book cover
  • YA mystery standalone
  • Set in a desert town
  • A high school senior sifting through family secrets
  • A mysterious killer on the loose?

Out of all my Top Ten Tuesday picks, I have only preordered A Shadow in the Ember because I am crazy obsessed with that world. But yeah, that just further highlights my point on my why I hardly end up reading my anticipated books until maybe a year or two later!

What were your picks for today’s Top Ten Tuesday?

My previous Top Ten Tuesday posts:

32 thoughts on “Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of 2021 // Top Ten Tuesday”

  1. I have such a long backlog of books still to read that I can’t even think of new and upcoming releases. I am sitting this TTT out 🙂

    1. Honestly, that’s the main reason I never get to read these books till maybe another year or two later!

    1. Yes that cover is so pretty! And I’m really curious to see how The Shaadi Set-Up will turn out!

  3. Great picks! Jade Fire Gold and All of Us Villains are also on my list and I’m kind of curious about The Taking of Jake Livingston but not sure since it’s not one of my regular genres. Thanks for sharing!

  5. Six Crimson Cranes and A Shadow in the Ember are two of my top anticipated novels! I’m so excited to know more about Nyktos and his consort.

    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

    1. Yeah, The Taking of Jake Livingston sounds like it’ll fit in that genre! Hope you both end up enjoying it!

  8. I can’t believe I forgot about A Shadow in the Ember! I’m so looking forward to that one as well. An Dark Rise too! Hope you’ll enjoy all of these.

    1. YES! I didn’t see it on lists much, but you’re the second person who’s told me you’re excited about ASITE! Can’t wait for October!

    1. Yes, that cover is so pretty! You should give it a go! All I’ve heard are good things about this book!

    1. Thank you, Lotus! And I agree, that cover stands out beautifully! 😍

  12. Six Crimson Cranes almost made my list as well but my list is longer than 10 already so I left it out. But I am really excited for that book as well. It sounds incredible.

    1. Honestly, once I read all the TTT posts for this week my 2021 release TBR is overflowing now! 😂

  14. Wonderful choices! I love how you broke down the WHY of each one too, that was really helpful! I also am super excited for many of these, especially In the Watchful City, All Of Us Villains, and No Beauties or Monsters! Hope that you end up enjoying all of them!

    1. Thanks, Shannon! Personally I like those type of recommendations myself so I decided on incorporating them into my own posts!

  16. Pingback: Sunday Sum-Up #20: My June 2021 Wrap-Up & A Few Sick Days - Bibliosini

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