Sally's most anticipated books of 2012

OK, so this is it! After much soul searching and hand wringing here are the ten books I'm most looking forward to in the coming year. As the lovely Dermot says, in no particular order, these are the final 10 going through!

1.Untitled ~ The Caster Chronicles series #4 ~ Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia

As yet untitled, all information on book four of the CC series in at present on complete lockdown which is understandable given the way that the last book in the series finished. Book 4 follows on from the brilliantly written Beautiful Chaos, the only book released last year that actually left me screaming at the pages as I searched for the chapter I hoped they had missplaced at the end of the book. Alas no, it was just that good a cliff hanger ending, so much so that it still keeps popping round to slap me again when I least expect it.

With the climax of Beautiful Chaos came all kinds of repercussions for many of the major characters (See? spoiler free!)and I'm desperate to find out what happens next...

FYI ~ I have placed Beautiful Chaos in my freezer.

CC#4 is due out in the fall of 2012.


2.Clockwork Princess ~ The Infernal Devices #3 ~ Cassandra Clare

In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it's too late. As Jem's health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves — even if it means never seeing the other one again?

What to say...At a time when my nerves were starting to recover from the ending of Beautiful Chaos (see above) Cassandra Clare decided to pop along and take what was left of said nerves and crush them into a fine paste....There are a thousand plotlines to tie up in CP2 and given what happened in Clockwork Prince there's the potential for a plethora of big events: births, weddings and...well, let's not even go there...(deep breaths Sal...)I can’t wait to see how Cassandra Clare does it, as bitter sweet as I know the ending might possibly be...eeshk!

BTW - Clockwork Prince is also in the freezer keeping Beautiful Chaos company...

Clockwork Princess is due out November 2012


3.Rapture ~ The Fallen series #4 ~ Lauren Kate

The sky is dark with wings. . . .

In RAPTURE, the highly anticipated fourth and final novel in the FALLEN series, Luce and Daniel are together . . . but for how long? Can history be rewritten? Or are some punishments eternal?

I have been captivated by Luce and Daniel’s story since reading Fallen which now seems like an eternity ago and now we reach our conclusion...Luce, Daniel and their friends have nine days to locate the site of the fall and prevent Lucifer from wiping out everyone and everything that has happened since. We also get to find out whether the curse will finally be lifted so that Luce and Daniel can finally be together, but that in itself raises so many questions...

Rapture is due out in June 2012.


4. Forgiven ~ The Demon Trapper series #3 ~ Jana Oliver

At the end of Forbidden Riley Blackthorne found herself on the run. With her father bought back to life (ish) her ex-boyfriend Simon has, wrongly, told the Vatican that she has aligned herself with hell, making her the Vatican’s most wanted. She has also fallen out with Beck who failed to take her brief dalliance with a fallen angel too well and so we arrive at a point where things seem like they couldn’t get any worse. However...Something big is going down in Atlanta, with demons joining forces against the heavens and it could be that the final battle is awfully close...

I love Riley and Beck and I think there's still so much more to learn about the characters. Am really looking forward to this one!

Forgiven is due out in March 2012


5. Insurgent ~ The Divergent series #2 ~ Veronica Roth

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

I fell in love with Divergent from pretty much the first page! The characters are so well written they leap out from the page and I love the strength of character that Tris has throughout the story, not to mention the lovely Four. I’m so looking forward to finding out what happens next between the newly warring factions in this dystopian series.

Insurgent is due out in May 2012.


6. Pandemonium ~ The Delirium series #2 ~ Lauren Oliver

At the end of Delirium Lena Holloway had escaped from the confines of her family and the government and has, thanks to Alex, the boy she loves, found herself in The Wilds where the laws imposed by consortium do not apply and where the inhabitants are considered to be outcasts. We also left Alex, who has sacrificed himself to save Lena, in the hands of the security guards, bleeding, his fate unknown.

Lauren Oliver’s website offers this intriguing morsel: This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite. I can’t wait to find out what happens next and more to the point – is Alex OK?!

Pandemonium is due out in March 2012.


7.Untitled ~ The Hush Hush series #4 ~ Becca Fitzpatrick

At the end of Silence Nora finds herself the newly appointed leader of Hank’s Black Hand Army. In charge of thousands of Nephilim who are determined to stage an uprising against the fallen angels, including her boyfriend Patch, Nora suddenly finds herself trying to prevent an all-out war.

I love the way that Nora’s character has evolved and become so strong through the series so far – she is a girl I think few would mess with! I’m looking forward to seeing her develop and grow as this series progresses.
Untitled is due out in October 2012.


8.The Immortal Rules ~ Blood of Eden Series #1 ~ Julie Kagawa

Having fallen completely in love with the Iron Fey series and with Julie Kagawa’s style of writing I can’t wait to see what she can do to vampires!! Below is a fantastic synopsis on what to expect from this series...

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

The Immortal Rules is due out in May 2012.

9. Promised ~ The Birthmarked trilogy #3 Caragh O’Brien

Promised is the last in the Birthmarked trilogy and tells the story of Gaia Stone, a midwife who at the end of book two, Prized (A review for which is here) now finds herself Matrarc of Sylum following the death of its previous leader.

There are a few hints at the end of book two as to what will happen next, particularly as Gaia attempts to lead the society she now commands from the toxic wastelands where they currently exist to pastures new. Whether their reception will be a warm one we’ll just have to wait and see...There are a ton of characters I’m eager to read more about but if I say anything I’d be spoiling the ending of book two. So I won’t.

Promised is due out in the fall of 2012.


10. The Crown of Embers ~ The Fire and Thorns trilogy #2 ~ Rae Carson

I’ve got a particular soft spot for this series. Firstly, because it was the first book I reviewed and secondly because I love the strength and tenacity that Elisa, the main character displays even while she is prepared to acknowledge her own insecurities.

At the end of Fire and Thorns Elisa assumes the role of Queen of Joya D’Arena as well as taking on the role of mother by taking Prince Rosario under her wing. Now that she is also recognised as being the bearer of the Godstone it would seem likely that book two will find her more at risk than she ever was! I’m looking forward to reading about the new challenges that face Elisa, as well as finding out a bit more about Hector maybe who I think stands out among many of the strong characters in this series.

The Crown of embers is due out in the fall of 2012.

There are others that I HAVE to mention namely; Untitled, The Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2 by Laini Taylor, Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate and City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare.

So there you have it – more of a baker’s dozen really. Looks like fall 2012 is going to be a particularly busy time in the SallySmurf house!!
So which books are you mostly looking forward to?