It’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Ten Books I’m Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017. I aimed to choose stand alone books or books that are first in a series rather than sequels or series enders but one sequel did make the list because I couldn’t help myself. And while this is technically a top ten list, my list is in no particular order.

Bad Blood by Demitria Lunetta (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: March 14, 2017

After reading Demitria’s In the After duology, I was so blown away that I put Demitria on my auto-buy list. The description for this is solid but if I know anything about anything regarding Demitria’s stories, it’s that this is still a vague description and we don’t know a third of it yet. She delivered in sci-fi and now it’s time for her to do the same with fantasy and I CANNOT WAIT.

Be True To Me by Adele Griffin (Add it to Godoreads)

Release Date: June 13, 2017

After finally reading The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone, I’m determined to read everything by Adele Griffin. Her upcoming release takes place on an island during the summer of 1976. Whatever it’s about, sign me up.

Allegedly by Tiffany Jackson (Add it to Godoreads)

Release Date: January 24, 2017

The main character, a black woman, allegedly killed a baby… a white baby. There are so many complexities here to explore and I am highly anticipating seeing how Tiffany Jackson executes it all in her debut novel.

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: April 11, 2017

I truly have no idea what this book is about (The MC is a twin, the world reflected is the diverse world that we live in, it’s going to be funny and heartwarming like signature Becky Albertalli always is, and there’s unrequited love…that’s all I got) but after reading Becky’s debut novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which I deemed a 5 star read, I will without hesitation pick up her next novel.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Is this perhaps the most anticipated young adult book of the first half of 2017? I think so. If you haven’t heard about THUG by now, you’re living under a rock. Read the synopsis below and tell me you’re not interested in reading that! You can’t.

Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl’s struggle for justice.

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: January 17, 2017

Adam Silvera knows how to break his readers. I’m expecting nothing less here, especially given the title and subject matter (the main character’s first love and ex-boyfriend dies and his world is turned upside down afterwards). I cannot wait for this one.

By Your Side by Kasie West (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: January 31, 2017

This title releases on my birthday so what a sweet treat for me! Kasie West is one of my favorite contemporary writers so I can’t wait to read her latest. This one follows a girl who finds herself stuck in a library over the weekend with a boy she’s heard about and seen around the school. Need I say more?

Caravel by Stephanie Garber (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: January 31, 2017

This fantasy, a tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game, has been all my writer critique group has been talking about for what seems like forever. Those who have read advance copies LOVE this book so I cannot wait to treat myself on my birthday with this one!

Want by Cindy Pon (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: June 13, 2017

After reading Cindy Pon’s Serpentine, I’m so in for what’s next for this author. Serpentine was a fantasy that I enjoyed way more than I thought I would and with Want, Cindy dives into my favorite genre, sci-fi. So I’m really excited to see what she delivers with this one!

Now I Rise by Kiersten White (Add it to Goodreads)

Release Date: June 27, 2017

And I Darken is my favorite read of 2016 (review here) so to say that I am highly anticipating the sequel is a huge understatement. Now I Rise cannot come soon enough!

What January – June 2017 releases are you looking forward to?