2021 was a fantastic year for books! There were so many amazing releases. I understand that at lot of that was because of 2020 releases getting pushed back due to the pandemic but I can’t complain about the embarrassment of riches we got literature wise last year.

I used to make my most anticipated lists month to month but I switched to the per-quarter format last year and I think it really worked out better. Sadly, part of that reason is because publication dates keep getting bumped around and keeping this list to chunks of the year instead of only by month I usually still end up being somewhat correct. With that in mind, the publication dates listed are up to date as of this writing but, as we have all learned, they are subject to change.

But, without further ado, here are the books on my radar for the first quarter of 2022. If there are any you are looking forward to give me a shout in the comments! I’d love to find other books to get excited about.

• A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft – Another reading enthusiast on Twitter pointed this upcoming release out to me and I am so glad they did! I haven’t seen anyone talking about it and it sounds fabulous. “When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home.” young adult, fantasy, romance (March 8)
• This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi – This is the first thing I’ve seen from Tahereh outside of the The Selection series and I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on it. Her writing works for me and lets my brain settle into a story without working too hard which, honestly, is my goal for most of my reads. This Woven Kingdom is inspired by Persian mythology and just sounds fabulous. young adult, fantasy, romance, mythology (February 1)
• Electric Idol (Dark Olympus #2) by Katee Robert – Look, we’ve reached a point in time when I will pick up literally anything by Katee Robert. The first book in her Dark Olympus series was fantastic, probably my favorite of hers yet, and I can’t wait to see what she has done with Eros and Psyche’s story. adult, erotic, romance, retelling (January 18)
• The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout – In the last two years I have become a sucker for Armentrout, especially the stories she writes based in this Blood and Ash world. While the third book in this series really didn’t tickle me, I still have high hopes for the forth one. I need more of that Cas and Poppy nonsense in my life, please and thank you. new adult, fantasy, romance (March 22)

• The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller – I don’t even remember where I stumbled across this book but I’m glad I did, it sounds so good! “Charm is a witch, and she is alone. The last of a line of conquered necromantic workers, now confined within the yard of regrown bone trees at Orchard House, and the secrets of their marrow.” – If the first line of this book’s description isn’t enough to tug at you, I don’t know what is. adult, mystery, gothic, fantasy (March 22)
• An Impossible Imposter (Veronica Speedwell #7) by Deanna Raybourn – I absolutely adore the Veronica Speedwell mysteries. Set in Victorian times, these books just know how to pull at me. Veronica is an intelligent, independent scientist living in a world that does not accept her intelligence and she has secrets to hide, secrets she wasn’t even aware of herself. If you haven’t tried this series yet, what are you waiting for? adult, mystery, historical fiction (February 15)
• The City of Dusk (The Dark Gods #1) by Tara Sim – The only book I have read by Sim is Timekeeper which was pretty good and this new series of hers sounds absolutely fantastic! “This dark epic fantasy follows the heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with a divine power—as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war.” -I mean really, what about that doesn’t sound great? adult, fantasy, LGBT, high fantasy (March 22)
• Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology #1) by Sue Lynn Tan – “Inspired by the famous Chinese legend of the Moon Goddess, in which a young woman must flee her cherished home on the moon when she is hunted by the Celestial Emperor” – admittedly, I have not read many book with roots in Chinese legends and mythology. I wish more were widely published because the ones I have read have been great! Sounds like this one will be, too. young adult, fantasy, mythology, retelling (January 11)

These are the books I am keeping my eye on during the first quarter of 2022. Are there any releases I missed that you think I should keep my eye out for? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Reading! 🖤