If you’re at all like me, adding books to your to-read list is almost as fun as the reading itself. Therefore, I present to you: upcoming 2014 YA SFF releases. I’ve combed through publisher catalogs for 2014 science fiction and fantasy titles and grouped them into a few categories that stuck out to me. It’s a great way to add titles to my TBR pile and pick up on trends at the same time. Today’s post, part 1, will focus on fantasy titles (mostly), and tomorrow’s post, part 2, will focus on science fiction titles (mostly).
And because I love all of you, dear readers, I’ve put an asterisk next to each title that is either a standalone or the start of a new series (no catch-up reading required). Most descriptions are pulled directly from Goodreads, but a few come from Worldcat.
Witches
If you like reading about witches, you’re in luck in 2014. There’s nearly a book each month for you.
The Witch is Back by Brittany Geragotelis (January)
teenaged witch Hadley Bishop is looking forward to a relaxing,
love-filled summer with boyfriend Asher, until his ex-girlfriend,
Brooklyn, shows up and a power struggle ensues.
In modern-day England, where witches live alongside humans, Nathan, son
of a White witch and the most powerful Black witch, must escape
captivity before his seventeenth birthday and receive the gifts that
will determine his future.
For five centuries, a
witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of
Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to
fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a
union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes
is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far
more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
to become a proper witch – but unfortunately, she’s stuck as an
apprentice to a grumpy fisherman. When their boat gets caught up in a
mysterious storm and blown wildly off course, Hanna finds herself
further away from home than she’s ever been before. As she tries
to get back, she learns there may be more to her apprentice master than
she realized, especially when a mysterious, beautiful, and very
non-human boy begins following her through the ocean, claiming that he
needs Hanna’s help. (no cover image available)
*Hexed by Michelle Krys (June)
threatened when Bishop, a tattooed, leather-clad stranger, tells her the
family Bible just stolen from the attic of her mother’s occult shop
could mean the end to all witches, including, he says, Indigo herself.
jealous, embittered queen sees enemies all around her, and the infamous
Spanish Inquisition holds the court in its merciless grip. But Meg Lytton has more reason to be afraid than most – for Meg is a witch, and exposure would mean certain death.
Sisters’ Fate by Jessica Spotswood (August)
London, but with the Brotherhood sending suspected witches straight to
the gallows, the Sisters are powerless against the disease. They can’t
help without revealing their powers—as Cate learns when a potent display
of magic turns her into the most wanted witch in all of New England.
Seventeen-year-old
Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a
soul, she’s anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has
abilities no one else possesses. Raised among the Wardens—a race
of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla
tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she
loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous
and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.
unfulfilled destinies on Earth, finds herself falling for Lucas, a human
boy whose death she is supposed to enact as her last act before
returning to Pyralis.
two respectable human parents, Kayla is a werecat in the closet. All she
knows is the human world. When she comes out to her boyfriend, tragedy
ensues, and her determination to know and embrace her heritage grows.
deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is
intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future
rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in
war-ravaged Eretz.
*Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins (April)
Seventeen-year-old Harper Price’s charmed life is turned upside down
when she discovers she’s been given magical powers in order to protect
her school nemesis David Stark, who’s an Oracle.
cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire
who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left
many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her
blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place
they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden.
And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. (no cover image available)
*Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen (April)
For five centuries, a
witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of
Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to
fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a
union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes
is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far
more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
throne, Marni should have been surrounded by wealth and privilege, not
living in exile-but now the time has come when she must choose between
claiming her birthright as princess of a realm whose king wants her
dead, and life with the father she has never known: a wild dragon who is
sending his magical woods to capture her.
Of Neptune by Anna Banks (May)
Paige Kelly is used to
weird–in fact, she probably corners the market on weird, considering
that her best friend, Dottie, has been dead since the 1950s. But when a
fire demon attacks Paige in detention, she has to admit that things have
gotten out of her league. Luckily, the cute new boy in school, Logan
Bradley, is a practiced demon slayer-and he isn’t fazed by Paige’s
propensity to chat with the dead. (no cover image available)
friend Hyde turns up at his father’s funeral to claim his corporate
empire and inheritance, she is swept into his glittering world of
paparazzi and wealth. But re-kindling her friendship and the
dizzying new emotions along for the ride are the least of her concerns.
Because Deanna has a secret – and somebody knows. Someone who is out to
get Hyde. And if she doesn’t play along, and help the enemy destroy
him…she will be sold to the highest bidder in the black market for human
swans.
*An Angel Torched My Homework and Other Lies by Miche Sipes (June)
werewolves, angels and zombies were merely humans with a genetic
mutation . . . could Norms and Differents ever get along? (no cover image available)
When eighteen-year-old Margo McKenna becomes a genie, she must figure
out how her new powers work, deal with having a master who attends her
high school, and try to graduate with her secret under wraps–all while
learning what “forever” really means when your boyfriend is a centuries
old genie.
Everybody thinks they
know Cole’s story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only
a few people know Cole’s darkest secret — his ability to shift into a
wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even
loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back.
Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel’s life.
Can this sinner be saved?
Battle Angel by Scott Speer (August)
two loves, Guardian Jackson and heroic pilot Tom, and Angels and humans
on the brink of an epic war, the Immortal City is more vulnerable than
ever. And when demons descend upon Angel City with the intent to
destroy, the humans don’t stand a fighting chance without the Angels on
their side.
Pacific, Corpus scientists have taken test tube embryos and given them
life. These beings—the Vitros—have knowledge and abilities most humans
can only dream of. But they also have one enormous flaw.
Invisible by Dawn Metcalf (April)
power, freedom and the boyfriend who loves her. Yet when an unstoppable
assassin is hired to kill her, Joy learns that being the girl with the
Sight comes with a price that might be too high to pay. Love will be
tested, lives will be threatened, and everyone Joy knows and cares about
will be affected by her decision to stand by Ink or to leave the Twixt
forever. (no cover image available)
*Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike (April)
but are never supposed to interfere. Charlotte learned that the hard
way. If she hadn’t tried to change one of her childhood visions, her
father would still be alive. Since the accident, Charlotte has
suppressed her visions to avoid making the same mistake. But when she
receives a premonition of a classmate’s murder, she can no longer ignore
her powerful gift.
near-invincible villain Krodin has left a void in the superhuman
hierarchy, a void that two opposing factors are trying to fill. The
powerful telepath Max Dalton believes that the human race must be
controlled and shepherded to a safe future, while his rival Casey Duval
believes that strength can only be achieved through conflict.
Gasp by Lisa McMann (June)
two harrowing tragedies, Jules now fully understands the importance of
the visions that she and people around her are experiencing. She’s
convinced that if the visions passed from her to Sawyer after she saved
him, then they must now have passed from Sawyer to one of the people he
saved.
of the population, seventeen-year-old Ciere, an illusionist, teams up
with a group of fellow high-class, super-powered thieves to steal the
vaccine’s formula while staying one step ahead of mobsters and deadly
government agents.
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (August)
showdown with a serial killer, Evie O’Neill has outed herself as a
Diviner. Now that the world knows of her ability to “read” objects, and
therefore, read the past, she has become a media darling, earning the
title, “America’s Sweetheart Seer.” But not everyone is so accepting of
the Diviners’ abilities.
High Fantasy
2014 brings us a good crop of new worlds full of wizards, princesses, kingdoms, political intrigue, and battles.
*Defy by Sara B. Larson (January)
Seventeen-year-old Alexa’s parents were killed by a sorcerer during a
raid, so she has disguised herself as a boy, joined Antion’s army, and
earned a place on Prince Damian’s guard–but Antion is ruled by an evil
king, and “Alex” must find a way to defeat him and protect her prince.
The Queen’s Choice by Cayla Kluver (January)
When sixteen-year-old
Anya learns that her aunt, Queen of the Faerie Kingdom of Chrior, will
soon die, her grief is equaled only by her despair for the future of the
kingdom. Her young cousin, Illumina, is unfit to rule, and Anya is
determined not to take up the queen’s mantle herself. Convinced
that the only solution is to find Prince Zabriel, who long ago
disappeared into the human realm of Warckum, and persuade him to take up
his rightful crown, Anya journeys into the Warckum Territory to bring
him home.
The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen (February)
regents since he ascended the throne of Carthya, and now King Vargan of
Avenia has invaded the land and captured Imogen–and Jaron must find
some way to rescue her and save his kingdom.
For five centuries, a
witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of
Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to
fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a
union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes
is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far
more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined. [This book is clearly leading the trend pack.]
*Allies and Assassins by Justin Somper (May)
Sixteen-year-old Jared inherits the throne of Archenfield after his
older brother, Prince Anders, is murdered. He relies on the twelve
officers of the court to advise him but soon suspects one of them could
be responsible for his brother’s death and vows to hunt down the killer,
who may be after Jared as well.
Chantress Alchemy by Amy Butler Greenfield (May)
Lucy, a chantress who works magic by singing, is called to court to find
a lost instrument of Alchemy. But her magic isn’t working properly.
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (June)
The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne. Now
the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced
tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army. Deep
in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must
submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who
worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for
the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives. (no cover image available)
*The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson (July)
In a society steeped in
tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First
Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she
doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they
arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to
a prince she has never met. On the morning of her wedding, Lia
flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when
two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the
jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. (no cover image available) [I am so incredibly excited about this one.]
Mythology/Retellings/Classically Inspired
These appear to be perennial favorites: retellings of fairy tales, new twists on ancient legends, stories inspired by myth, and other similar tales with older roots.
*Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (January)
Graceling meets
Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl’s journey
to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing
her heart.
*Grim (February)
Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today: Ellen Hopkins, Amanda Hocking, Julie Kagawa, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins, Kimberly Derting, Myra McEntire, Malinda Lo, Sarah Rees-Brennan, Jackson Pearce, Christine Johnson, Jeri Smith Ready, Shaun David Hutchinson, Saundra Mitchell, Sonia Gensler, Tessa Gratton, and Jon Skrovron.
Cress by Marissa Meyer (February)
Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and
Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and
prevent her army from invading Earth. Their best hope lies with Cress, a
girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who’s only ever had her
netscreens as company. Based on Rapunzel.
*The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain (March)
Haden Lord, the
disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to
entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing
as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and
famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore
immortality to his race.
*Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page (April)
My name is Amy Gumm—and I’m the other girl from Kansas. I’ve been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I’ve been trained to fight. And I have a mission: Remove the Tin Woodman’s heart. Steal the Scarecrow’s brain. Take the Lion’s courage. Then and only then—Dorothy must die!
Rain by Amanda Sun (June)
American Katie Green has
decided to stay in Japan. She’s started to build a life in the city of
Shizuoka, and she can’t imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and
especially Tomohiro, the guy she’s fallen in love with. But her return
is not as simple as she thought. She’s flunking out of Japanese school
and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also
struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and
his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control. (no cover image available)
The Strange Maid by Tessa Gratton (June)
Signy Valborn was seven
years old when she climbed the New World Tree and met Odin Alfather, who
declared that if she could solve a single riddle, he would make her one
of his Valkyrie. For ten years Signy has trained in the arts of war,
politics, and leadership, never dreaming that a Greater Mountain Troll
might hold the answer to the riddle, but that’s exactly what Ned the
Spiritless promises her.
The Island of Excess Love by Francesca Lia Block (August)
Pen has lost her
parents. She’s lost her eye. But she has fought Kronen; she has won back
her fragile friends and her beloved brother. Now Pen, Hex, Ash, Ez, and
Venice are living in the pink house by the sea, getting by on hard
work, companionship, and dreams. Until the day a foreboding ship appears
in the harbor across from their home. As soon as the ship arrives, they
all start having strange visions of destruction and violence.
Trance-like, they head for the ship and their new battles begin. Based on Virgil’s Aeneid.
Which books are you looking forward to in 2014?
So excited for so many of these! Especially Dreams of Gods & Monsters, Ruin & Rising, and Lair of Dreams- love those series. Also have high hopes for Dorothy Must Die. Ones not on the list that I'm looking forward to: The Winner's Curse (Rutkoski), Death Sworn (Cypess), The Falconer (May), The Cracks in the Kingdom (Moriarty) and most importantly- City of Heavenly Fire (Clare). Also, really really hope the 3rd book in the Finishing School series by Carriger comes out next year. I am loving that series so much.
Can't believe I forgot about the Winner's Curse! I'm excited about that one too.
The Kiss of Deception does sound really good! Have added it to my Goodreads list. And Cruel Beauty is certainly on my to-read list as well!
Woo! I'm super looking forward to The Fourth Wish. Cress was excellent. I agree with the people who are really excited about The Winner's Curse, and they should be. I was lucky enough to read it and early and YES.
One I didn't see on the list that I'm anticipating is Chasing Before, the sequel to Level 2!