Kris's Most Anticipated 2024 Reads!
“Run away with me. You like tea. I like books. Care to open a show and forget the world exists?” –Rebecca Thorne, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea
2024 seems to be the year of sequels and series (and it's not just books, the movie line-up for this year reflects this too!) Six titles out of my highlighted 15 are standalones--for now as some may turn into series later. I also tried to highlight a variety of genres, though fantasy still has quite a hold on my TBR list!
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
This horror novella is a sequel to What Moves the Dead, which was based on Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House Usher," but with a classic Kingfisher twist. This will be Kingfisher's first sequel to a horror book, so I'm very excited to see how this new story will tie into the first.
Out February 13th!
Oshi no Ko volume 5 by Aka Akasaka
Murder, blackmail, reincarnation, and girl groups--this series has it all! One of the main characters is bent on finding his mother's murder, while the other main character is bent on following in her mother's footsteps by becoming a pop star!
Out February 20th!
Man and His Cat volume 10 by Umi Sakurai
This is the absolute cutest manga I have ever read. It started out rather simply: a widowed man who has never had a cat adopts a cat who never thought he'd be adopted. The first volume follows their shenanigans as they figure out how to live together, but the following volumes bring a whole cast of cats and characters and bigger plot, so I cannot wait to see how it all plays out!
Out March 26th!
Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes
Sci-fi horror? Sign me up! I've read Barnes' , which was so chilling I couldn't put it down and even when I finished it, I was still thinking about it! I'm excited to be scared and will probably be up all night reading it as soon as it hits the shelves!
Out April 9th!
Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta
I absolutely love Alice in Wonderland retellings--I have quite the collection! This is a queer YA retelling focusing on the Red Queen, and I am living for it!
Out April 23rd!
Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
Cozy fantasy reads are all the rage right now, and tie that in with the pretty sprayed edges, and I cannot wait to get my hands on this book! It hints at being the first in a series, so I'm hoping it will be a great start for a comfort series.
Out May 7th!
Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo
While this is book is the fifth in a series, readers can read it in any order as they aren't chronological, but follow along with the main character, Cleric Chih, on their journeys through the world recording stories. The world in which Chih lives in rich and vibrant, and the characters Chih meets are wide and varied. The storytelling is almost lyrical, and draws on great epics, but still in a enjoyable format of a novella.
Out May 7th!
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Another cozy fantasy read with sprayed edges! It's a cottagecore romantasy with spell books! A perfect read for a fantasy-loving and book-collecting bookseller.
Out July 9th!
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall
It's the year of sprayed edges! This fantasy book is from the same publisher as Fourth Wing, so they love to highlight their fantasy (and romantasy) books with gorgeous sprayed edge artwork. Not much is said about the premise beyond the world is dying and the main character doesn't remember a thing about who she is, but I'm still eager to get my hands on a copy!
Out July 23rd!
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
This is the follow-up book to Assistant to the Villain, which was one of the funniest books I read last year. It's a fantasy, but it also makes a point to laugh at its own tropes and fantasy and romance stereotypes that fill the pages. It's a great series for readers looking for a laugh and a good bad guy to swoon over.
Out August 6th!
I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki: Further Conversations with My Psychiatrist by Baek Sehee
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki is still a huge best seller everywhere--and now the sequel is sure to turn some heads with its title as well! The first one was unfiltered with the direct conversations between Sehee and her psychiatrist taken directly from a recording of their sessions. I can only imagine how deep this one will go--and how much self-reflection will be had while reading it!
Out August 6th!
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Another Kingfisher book! This one is more twisted fairy tale rather than horror, and Kingfisher can do both! This is a retelling of the Brothers Grimm's "The Goose Girl" filled with murder and mystique! Other twisted fairy tales by Kingfisher include Nettle & Bone and Thornhedge, with the latter being one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Out August 20th!
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
The sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea—the first one was a warm hug (after a good cry), and I expect this one to be no different! It continues the beautiful story of a found family and queer romance all within a wonderfully-crafted fantasy world. I'm very excited to see where Klune takes the characters from the first book.
Out September 10th!
Cover Not Revealed Yet!
Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Every book in this series (Before the Coffee Gets Cold) has made me cry. These books are so human and so beautiful, I enjoy reading them again when I need a good catharsis. The first four in the series all seemed to highlight a season, so I'm very curious to see where the fifth book will take me next.
Out November 12th!
Cover Not Revealed Yet!
Fourth Wing book 3 by Rebecca Yarros
The next book in the incredible Fourth Wing series—title and cover art still not revealed, but I’m waiting with bated breath!
Out December (hopefully!)
ABOUT THE BOOKSELLER
Kris (she/they) studied for their MA in creative writing in Wales. Their favorite genres are horror, science, manga, and fantasy. Kris cannot DNF a book; they either force their way to the finish or it sits in their TBR pile for all eternity.